For Appearances Sake
by AlkalineLeigh
Summary: It's been three years since Edward left.Bella finds herself trapped in a life of abuse that she can't escape from. When word spreads about her situation and the Cullen's return, will Edward be able to save her? Will they end up happy together again?
1. Chapter 1

**BPOV**

It was silent. Not a single sound penetrated the noiseless air. I couldn't even hear myself breathe. Time was only an object now, it was no longer a barrier, and it was no longer precious to me. I wasted it, waited for it to pass. This was how I spent my days now, waiting with empty thoughts for a daily phone call, and all the while, the already gaping hole in my chest only got bigger.

After I graduated—an event that I rarely allowed myself to remember—I continued with my education, but just for the sole reason of taking my mind off of the only thing that mattered to me, the part of me that was missing. That is, if you could consider attending a community college in Port Angeles continuing with an education.

Charlie never bothered my about my prolonged residence; he got a good meal everyday and he still clung to fatherhood.

"Bells, you're eighteen and half years old, you don't have to pack your bags and leave just because you graduated. This is your home," Charlie reasoned. For once, I didn't argue. Staying with Charlie was a good thing. At least I ate everyday—at least he was there to make sure that I stayed physically healthy.

I wouldn't have noticed that my body was literally collapsing on itself if it happened, I couldn't feel enough to tell. It wasn't always apparent, but Charlie still worried about me. On nights when I would lie awake in bed, too numb to force myself to sleep, I would hear him slowly open the door to check on me, just like fathers do with their little girls.

Now, everything was different. Three years had passed and not only did I struggle through each day, I feigned happiness to hide the truth of so much more than just my sorry attachment to what wasn't there anymore. I had found a new home, and I gave up on taking any more classes. To an outsider, it would seem as though I had turned over a new leaf.

The phone rang, sending shrieking echoes through the empty house. I slowly got up and walked toward the receiver. "Hello?"

"Bella? It's Angela, are you all right?" I sighed, thankful that she was calling. This was phone call that I waited for everyday—my motivation. After clearing my throat, I replied.

"Yeah, I'm fine."

"Are you sure? You sound upset," she pressed.

"No, I'm sure. I was just sleeping," I lied. Lying was another thing that I had forced myself into. Every day that I lived one giant lie.

"Oh, did I wake you up? I'm sorry!" she said quickly. I bit my lip and looked up at the ceiling.

"No, you didn't. I was already awake, just a little groggy," I said slowly. I had trained my voice to hide any trace of pain or sadness if help. I wasn't sure if it sounded happy, more along the lines of exhausted.

"Oh, well, do you think you could come over to watch Ian? I need to go the grocery store for about an hour," she asked. I smiled lightly, stopping myself before I said yes too quickly.

"Of course I can, I'll be over in a few minutes," I said. She sighed and thanked me. Angela and I had remained close friends; she was the only one who didn't seem put off by my sudden emptiness. It was the least I could do to understand and help her with her own situation.

Angela and Ben graduated high school expecting a son. Ian was born two months after. With all of the extra time that I had between classes at the college and feeding Charlie, I ended up becoming their nanny. It was something that I didn't mind doing, another thing I did to distract myself. I didn't expect to form such a strong bond with Ian, but things happen.

Before I grabbed my purse, I splashed cold water on my face and ran my fingers through my hair. As I readied myself to leave, I caught my arm on the sharp edge of a cabinet.

"Great," I sighed as I checked for the damage. A dark line had rigged itself across my skin and a thin trickle of blood was slowly seeping out of the small section of my skin that had been broken. Nausea rolled through my stomach and I fumbled around in the medicine cabinet, looking for a bandage. It wouldn't have made much a difference if I had covered the scrape or not, it would heal the same way.

As I stuck the band-aid to my skin, my eyes glazed over the faded scar that ran up my arm. The painful memory of it let me breathless and gnawing my lip to make it go away. I heard the phone ring again, and knew I couldn't answer it, my voice wouldn't have obeyed. I had to leave anyway.

The old roaring engine of my truck had been replaced with the quiet rumble of a Nissan Altima. The car was a gift from Charlie after my truck had broken down and got through its last mile. As I drove the familiar road to Angela and Ben's home, large raindrops splattered against my windshield.

I didn't bother to knock on the door anymore. I stopped doing that after the first year of being hired. Knocking only made Angela stop what she was in the middle of doing to answer the door. It was more convenient that way.

As I stepped into the house, a tiny head popped out from behind the couch. "Aunt Bella!" Ian shouted. I grinned when I saw him and shut the door behind me.

"Hi buddy," I said. He ran forward and threw his arms around my waist, burying his head into my stomach. I winced but pulled him into my arms anyway. "Where's your mama?" I asked.

"She's changing her shirt," he said. There was no denying that Ian was a very cute child. For the most part, he had his mothers face, honest brown eyes and light skin, but the head of curls that he had undoubtedly came from his father. Between the three of them Angela, Ben and Ian had a very happy family.

"Hey Bella," Angela called from upstairs. I set Ian down and placed my purse on the table. When Angela came down the stairs, Ian hid surreptitiously behind my legs. She narrowed her eyes at him and smiled at me.

"That's right, mister, hide behind Bella." She bit her lip to keep from laughing. "_Somebody_ spilled grape juice all over my shirt," she explained. I nodded in understanding and ruffled his hair.

"All right, I'm gonna head out to the store. I'll only be gone for maybe an hour or so, but I'll be back with your check," Angela said to me, pulling on a jacket. "You two stay out of mischief while I'm gone."

As soon as I saw Angela's car pull out of the driveway, I kneeled down to Ian's height and asked, "What would you like to do?" He shrugged.

"Can we watch Spongebob?" he asked. I could see the excitement light up his eyes at the idea of watching his favorite tv show.

"Sure we can," I said, picking up the remote and flipping through the channels until I spied a yellow sponge dancing across the screen. "Are you hungry? Do you want a snack?"

"Can I have some cookies?" he asked politely. I walked into the kitchen and rummaged around in the pantry until I pulled out a bag of Oreos. I set some on a napkin and poured some milk in a small glass. Ian was nestled in his blankets on the couch, sucking on his thumb. I stopped in the doorway and shook my head at him.

"Okay bud, gotta sit up," I said. He groaned and scooted up. I pulled the coffee table toward him and set his snack on the table. The first thing his did was pick up an Oreo and dip it in the milk. He took a bite and smiled, flashing his black cookie-covered teeth. I laughed and sat down next to him.

Every few minutes, Ian would giggle at the TV between bites. It was amazing to watch him get so worked up over something as simple as a TV show. During a commercial, he sat there quietly until,

"Bella?" he asked.

"Mhm?" I answered.

"Why aren't you happy?" My breath hitched in my throat.

"What do you mean Ian?" I asked, trying to keep the panic from escaping.

"Mommy says you aren't happy, but you look happy to me," he said. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath.

"I am happy little guy, don't worry. Look, the show's coming back on," I said, desperately trying to divert his attention. He looked away but continued talking.

"Mommy and Daddy don't like Dan," he said quietly. I looked over at him, suddenly afraid. Sometimes, Ian seemed a little too bright for three years old. He caught on to things too quickly, overheard things he shouldn't have.

"What else do they say?" I asked, hoping that if any them knew what was going on, they had the sense to keep it to themselves until Ian wasn't around.

"I don't remember," he said, suddenly interested in the show again. I sat with him until Angela came home again. She handed me my paycheck, and I said goodbye to the both of them, knowing I would be back tomorrow.

I contemplated what to do if I came home and he was already there. Would I apologize? Or would I act happy to see him? Before I could come up with an answer, I was parking on the curb in front of my house. His car was parked in the driveway.

I walked up to the front door slowly and pushed it open. Dan was sitting in the living room with his feet propped up on the table. "Where've you been?" he demanded.

"I was working," I replied nervously.

"Is dinner ready?" he asked, setting his eyes on me.

"I just got home, I'll have it done in a few minutes," I said walking into the kitchen. I began to pull out ground beef from the refrigerator and some vegetables to make a burger with when the troubled started.

"God damn it Bella!" he shouted. "When I come home, I expect there to be food ready for me to eat and I expect you to be here waiting for me! I called earlier, where the hell were you?" He towered over me in the doorway and I stood shakily in front of him.

"I'm sorry Dan, I told you I was working." He grabbed my face and forced me to meet his eyes.

"You look at me when you talk to me," he ordered. "You're my wife, you belong to me. You respect me." His iron grip on my jaw tightened and I held back the whimper that threatened to escape.

Wife. I married into a seemingly endless period of abuse. Consistent beatings were what I endured for the sake of staying sane. Bruises marred the parts of my body that I conveniently kept covered. My stomach was decorated with a variety of colors ranging from dark yellow to purple. My back wasn't much different. And part of my body that would remain covered when I wore normal clothes was decorated much the same.

I married a man that I don't even know out of desperation. I was desperate to find some way to make the pain stop. Angela had probably caught onto my home situation by now. I could see it in her eyes, and of course, if Angela knew, so did Ben. Charlie didn't know, but I hoped he never would. His happiness when he saw that I was dating again was extraordinary, let alone the fact that I was dating someone who worked at the station with him. To be honest, I didn't have much of a choice, Dan was forceful even before I married him.

I asked myself over and over again so many times: why don't I just leave? I had always struggled to come up with some justifiable answer, but the truth was, I knew that if I left, I would still feel the same pain. Pain would be everywhere that I went.

Night after night, I somehow managed to find safety in the guest bedroom after he had fallen asleep. Tonight was no exception.

"Move," he growled, shoving my body across the large bed. I could feel the indentation of his elbow against my ribs. I groaned and rolled to the very edge of the bed, trying to keep still.

When the sheets became twisted around his ankles, "Damn it, MOVE!" and I hit the floor. I bit back the scream that racked my chest. My entire body cramped into one giant mass of pain, but I stayed on the floor until I heard his breathing deepen. When I was sure that he was asleep, I made my way to the guest bedroom and collapsed on the bed.

As necessary as it was for me to get out before it was too late, I couldn't make myself leave.

* * *

**Okay, so some of you might be thinking "Why the heck would she come up with some freaky guy named Dan to be an abusive husband?" Well, I thought about using Mike for some other character from the books, but I decided against it. Trust me, I'm going somewhere with this story, so bear with me. **

**Also, for those of you that are wondering about why I'm coming out with a new story when I have other's that haven't been updated in forever, I couldn't get this idea out of my head, so I had to do it. I've been working on other things that pretty much take away time for fanfics, but this pretty much drove me crazy. **

**Anywho...review, don't review, just please don't flame too harshly. I have feelings. Happy upcoming Halloween! **


	2. Chapter 2

**BPOV**

I woke up to the sound of the front door slamming. It startled me enough to jump and gasp. My body retaliated. It was too early. The only good thing about Dan working at the station was the long hours his job required. The last time that I checked, Charlie and Dan worked the same shift together. No one would really guess at what Dan truly was, after all, part of his job was to prevent domestic violence. No one would guess that he was contributing to it as well.

Dan's anger toward me could have come from many places. The most logical explanation was that I was unresponsive. During our honey moon—the first time that I saw the real Dan—I discovered what had been on Dan's mind since I had accepted his hand. The idea of marrying someone who my heart didn't belong to almost incapacitated me, and apparently, it showed all the way through our engagement. My hesitation to say yes was not only obvious to me. When I waited too long to say "I do", everyone noticed.

"It's because of him, isn't it?" Dan asked on the first night.

"What are you talking about?" I replied, putting up defensive walls. I tried to make myself believe that I wanted this, but I couldn't do it.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about, Bella. He's not coming back." Of course, Dan would know about what happened—he worked with Charlie. Chances were, they gossiped like old women. The second time it happened, my failure to provide what Dan wanted, it tasted blood in my mouth before the pain of the blow set in. The bruise along my jaw line covered easily with makeup.

It was easy enough to keep everything a secret; I still had as many accidents as I did in high school. People just thought my luck had worsened. After that, every act of "intimacy" was forced. The marks along the back of my neck hid well beneath my hair. The bruises across my stomach and in between my legs stayed hidden behind layers of clothing.

As I lay in bed, I contemplated whether to go back to sleep or to get up and start my day. It was only 5:30, but I knew I wouldn't be able to fall back asleep. There was no point, and it wasn't worth the risk. If Dan just happened to come back home, I would rather be awake than asleep.

I undressed carefully, avoiding my reflection in the mirror. I couldn't remember the last time that I had seen my skin at its natural color. Staring at it only made me feel it more. After I adjusted the water pressure in the shower, I worked my strawberry shampoo through my hair. The smell of it was comforting, a pleasant thing to wake up to.

I was careful with the rest of my body, using a wash cloth instead of a rough scrubbing brush. Too lazy to use a blow dried, I towel dried my hair and let it hang damp over my shoulders. The weather was starting to change drastically. In a few weeks, it would probably start to snow. I pulled on a pair of jeans and a long sleeve shirt. Now the only thing that I had left to do was wait. The phone would ring sooner or later.

**CPOV** (Carlisle)

"Dr. Cullen?" A young nurse asked, tapping me on the shoulder. I looked up from my case file and smiled at her.

"Yes?" She looked down, embarrassed.

"I'm relieving you of call. You can go home," she stammered. I smiled and ran my fingers through my hair.

"Thank you, Doreen." She nodded and walked away quickly. The only thing I had left to do was put this file away and I could go home, back to Esme and the others. As I scanned the tabs on my filing cabinet, my eyes stopped at a familiar last name. A forbidden one. _Swan_.

"How did that get in there?" I breathed. I was very thorough with my cases and the files that I managed. That file shouldn't have been in there. Slowly, I reached into the drawer and pulled it out. It was just as thick as the last time I held it.

The last report in the file was from almost four years ago. It was a memory that even I tried to avoid. Of all the accidents that Bella had had, this one was by far the worst. Knowing that this file was incomplete, I couldn't help the burning curiosity that I felt. How much thicker had her file gotten in the last three years?

I still through of Bella as a daughter, someone who I cared for very much. I often caught myself incorporating her into plans that I outlined for the family. Of course, I did well enough to erase those thoughts before Edward came around again.

Edward still hadn't come home. For the sake of Esme, he visited regularly, but what he did with his life now was unfathomable to me. Edward still punished himself for leaving. I had plenty reasons to believe that he would never stop.

As I walked around the registry counter, I argued with myself. _This isn't any of your business anymore. You promised Edward,_ I tried to talk myself out of what I was about to do, but it was pointless. Bella's absence—more like our departure—had affected everyone monumentally. Alice had lost a best friend, someone she considered to be a sister. Jasper lost most of twinkle in his wife. Emmett lost his brother, Esme and I had lost a son _and _a beloved being. Rosalie was affected by this only because of the reactions of her family members. Alice no longer showed as much joy for shopping, Emmett slowly drifted away because he too had lost a great friend, and Jasper was constantly being torn down by everyone's mood.

The nurse behind the registry looked up at me, flustered, when I stood in front of her.

"I'm sorry to bother you," I said, trying to be polite as possible. In truth, I was caught. This may have been wrong, but it was something I _needed_ to do. "Would it be possible for you to locate a file for me?"

She dropped her pen and her eyes zoned in. "Of course, Dr. Cullen, I would be happy to. What's the name?" I prepared myself to voice the name that I hadn't spoken in far too long.

"Isabella Swan."

**BPOV**

One thing that I hadn't expected today was a visit from Charlie.

"Dad?" I asked after I opened the door.

"Hey Bells," he said, giving me an awkward hug. After he settled on the couch, I noticed he wasn't wearing his badge.

"Is everything all right?" I asked, hoping that something devastating hadn't happened, like him losing his job.

"Oh, yeah. Everything's fine. I had the day off, figured I might drop by and see you. It's been too long." I sighed in relief.

"Yeah, it has," I agreed, half-heartedly. He was quiet before our real conversation started.

"So, Dan says you've been working a lot lately," he said. I shrugged.

"I guess. I've just been spending a lot of time with Ian." He closed his eyes slowly and nodded his head.

"Bella, I know that it may be difficult to get over what happened, the doctor said that post partum would settle long after it actually happened, but attaching yourself to someone else's child isn't going to change anything. It's not going to erase the past," he said. I could see the concern in his eyes. The small wrinkles around them had deepened.

"I know that, I'm not attaching myself, only being helpful." When I found out that I was pregnant, the only thing I could feel was relief. Maybe that would give Dan a reason to ease off. Maybe the though of me carrying his child would change his views about me. I thought it would give him a reason to stop with the violence. I was wrong.

By the fourth month of my pregnancy, I had lost the baby, the cause being my "fall down the stairs". Needless to say, I was devastated. For sixteen weeks, I had grown used to the idea of having someone that I _could_ love, someone that I could invest all of my energy into. A while after the miscarriage, I realized that it was probably for the best.

What if I couldn't love the baby? What if the baby was someone that I hated because of its father? What if I was a horrible mother? As emotionally scarring as it was, I was glad that things happened the way they did. I wouldn't have wanted a child in the situation that I was in. Charlie didn't understand. He was still under the impression that I was using Ian as a replacement for the baby that I would have had by now.

"Are you planning on taking classes again?" he asked, quickly changing the subject. I shook my head.

"I don't think so. I've got my major, that's really all that I need." He knew not to push me any further. Charlie stuck around for me to make him lunch, and then he left, promising to come by again soon.

"If not sooner, I'll be seeing you at the award ceremony next week."

When I realized that I hadn't cashed my check yesterday, I got ready to stop by the bank. My car was also running low on gas. The further away from the house I drove, the better my mood got. My bank wasn't too far away from a gas station After making a deposit, my car had begun to flash messages at me; the tank was almost empty. The frigid air made me shiver. I quickly placed the nozzle inside and hurried back into the car.

I tried desperately to start the car again, but the engine wouldn't budge. It only stalled and shut down again. I sighed and got out of the car just as rain drops were beginning to fall from the sky.

"Wonderful," I sighed to myself. There was nobody else here either. The attendant behind the counter inside the AMPM was a teenage boy, only a few years younger than myself. "I can't get my car to start, can I get some help, please?" I asked.

He looked up from the magazine that he was reading. "I can't leave the store," he mumbled. "Maybe somebody out there has cables?" He gestured toward the door.

"There's nobody else out there," I said, slightly aggravated. The attendant closed the magazine and looked around.

"All right, I'll go take a look and see what the problem is," he said. I narrowed my eyes at him in confusion.

"I thought you couldn't leave the store?" He rolled his eyes, treating me without respect because of the obvious similarities in our ages.

"You said there wasn't anyone here," he countered. He shuffled out from behind the counter and pulled a jacket on over his smock, flipping the hood over his head. "Nice ride," he commented before lifting the hood up. He tinkered around inside of it, staying mostly dry due to the shelter my car provided. I, on the other hand, was completely drenched. He seemed to be taking his time while I stood next to him dripping and shivering. Finally, he shut the hood and stepped back from the vehicle.

"Yeah, you're going to need shock cables to get the engine started again. I'd help, but I don't carry those around with me." I glared at him, put off by his attitude.

"Do you at least have a phone that I can use?" He nodded his head and ran back into the building. I followed, trying not to slip on the wet asphalt. Calling Dan was out of the question. Charlie was probably out fishing. The only person left for me to call was Angela.

She answered after the first few rings. "Hello?"

"Hi Ang, its Bella. I'm sorry to bother you, but my car won't start and I'm sort of stuck here. Do you think you could help me?"

"Absolutely, where are you?" she asked.

"I'm at the AMPM," I said. I could hear her gathering things in the background.

"Okay, I'll be there in a few minutes," she said.

"Thanks. Oh, I guess we need shock cables to start the engine again," I said.

"Don't worry, I have a set in my car." I thought about waiting in the shelter of the building, but I decided against it. The attendant stared at me like I owed him something. He was an _attendant_, not some innocent bystander who decided to be helpful. I backed across the lot and settled into my car. The water that my jeans had trapped seeped into the seat.

As Angela had promised, she arrived a few minutes later with little Ian in the backseat. His face was pressed against the glass and he waved when he saw me. Angela smiled at me and parked next to my car. She turned off the car and quickly ran over to my window.

"Okay, I'm going to connect the cables," she said, shouting over the rain.

"Do you know what you're doing?" I asked, hoping I wouldn't have to drag the attendant back out here.

"Yeah. Luckily, Ben showed me in case of an emergency!" She popped the hood of her car and connected the cable, and then went on to do the same with my car. "Okay, when I tell you, turn the ignition," she said.

Angela started her car and gestured toward me. I turned the ignition and after only a few seconds, my engine had started. I sighed and gave her the thumbs up.

"Thank you!" I called out from my window. Angela got out of the car once more hurried over to my window again.

"Wanna follow me and Ian back to our place?" she asked. I looked down at my clothes and saw that the only way they would get dry in this weather was with a dryer.

"I would, but I need to get out of these clothes," I said. She laughed and nodded.

"Me too. How about we stop at your place and then go to mine?" I agreed and Angela followed me to my house. Ian pounced on my as soon as we got through the front door.

"You're wet!" he exclaimed. I nodded and told him and Angela to make themselves at home while I raced upstairs to change as quickly as I could. My skin morphed into a mass of goosebumps when the cold air hit my warm skin. It only made me move faster. When I came down stairs, Ian was sleeping in Angela's lap on the couch. I smiled at the two of them and quietly approached her.

"It's his nap time," I whispered to her. She nodded and carefully lifted him into her arms and I opened the door to help her out. It was still raining. Angela covered his head with her arm and ran over to the car. He hadn't woken up by the time she had him buckled in his car seat.

Angela's house had a much more inviting feeling to it. I felt more at ease there than I did in my own house. I took Ian up to his room while Angela changed in her room. Ian's tiny body curled into a small ball as I set him down on his bed. I kissed his forehead and tucked his blankets around him, ensuring that he wouldn't get cold.

I waited for Angela on the couch downstairs and ran my fingers through my hair. The tangles weren't as bad as they could have been. Angela came down wearing a pair of cotton pants and a sweater. She sat down next to me and lifted her hair off the back of her neck.

I felt her eyes on me after a few minutes.

"What is it?" I asked. She seemed to choose her words before she spoke.

"Ian told me about the conversation you two had yesterday." My eyes widened. I knew that kid was too brilliant.

"He did?" She corrected herself.

"Well, bit's and pieces in three year old language, yes." Her face looked grave. "I can understand why you cover things up with him, Ian wouldn't understand anyway. But I can see it in your eyes, Bella. Why are you doing this to yourself?"

I could no longer meet her eyes. I couldn't even answer her. "Say his name," she said.

"Angela, please." My heart stuttered.

"Say it." I shook my head.

"I can't."

Angela signed and reached out to grab my hand. "I've kept my distance from this subject, but I can't watch you do this to yourself anymore. You've shut everything and everyone out, Bella. Alice and Edward were your life, I've never seen you so happy as when you were with them, but you've thrown yourself into an unjust marriage and it scares me to see you like this."

"Angela," I breathed. "I need to go." My voice broke on the last word. I pushed myself off of the couch and walked toward the door.

"Bella, I'm sorry," Angela said, standing up as well. "I really shouldn't have said anything."

"But you did," I whispered and walked out of the house. It had stopped raining, which wasn't surprising. Angela had never been one to confront people, and I wasn't angry with her for doing it, hearing those two names spoken in the same sentence opened a door that had been shut for a long time.

**CPOV**

It didn't take long to have Bella's file transferred to my current hospital. As soon as I was finished with it, I would be sending it back. To my horror, Bella's file had almost doubled in size. Esme would wonder why I was late coming home, but she would ultimately understand.

The first file that I read didn't surprise me. A concussion. The second file wasn't so out of the ordinary for Bella either—a small laceration that required stitches. But the more I read, the more out of place things seemed.

Truth be told, Bella had changed all of our perspectives on a walking danger magnet, but these kinds of accidents couldn't have come from sheer clumsiness. A broken clavicle, dislocated patella, internal bleeding, doctors guessing at animal attacks…a miscarriage? The variety of accidents, let alone the quantity, that she had had was astounding.

Something definitely was not right.

**Hiya! Here we go with chapter number 2...yes, it's still Edwardless...sigh. But hey, you never know, you could always find out if he's coming any time soon by asking in a review! Go ahead...just click the little button. It doesn't bite. **


	3. Chapter 3

**CPOV**

I returned, yet again, to a silent home. There was no music to greet me, any arguments or bickering never escalated like they used to. We didn't act like a family anymore, just a group of vampires, each with their own agenda. Esme's warm embrace, comforting as it was, wasn't enough to free my mind of its current conflictions.

I had made a promise to Edward, and I had just broken it. Oddly enough, it felt right to do it. His reason for leaving was honest enough, I could even understand it. Bella _was_ constantly in danger, but I didn't necessarily believe she was any better off without us.

"I'm sorry I'm late," I said to Esme. She read the underlying message in my eyes and her gaze became conflicted.

"It's not a problem. Is everything all right?" she asked. I took my coat off and hung it on the coat rack in the closet. Esme's slight grip on my arm made me realize I hadn't answered her. Without words, I shook my head.

"What's on your mind? What's wrong?" I looked over at her slowly and set my brief case down on the table.

"Bella." Her breath stopped, and a different voice rang through the air, cutting Esme off before she could reply.

"What did you just say?" I looked up to see Alice's startled figure at the top of the stairs. Her eyes blazed and I could see the danger in them. Alice had lost her best friend, a sister that meant so much more to her than Rosalie. It was only natural for her to get defensive.

"I need you to help me," I said cautiously. I saw her stance loosen and her features rearranged themselves.

"Carlisle, will you please explain what is going on?" Esme asked, her voice gentle. I held her hand in between mine.

"I wish I could, my love. But for now, I just need to know if I'm right. I will explain everything with time." She understood, knowing she would find out eventually. Alice, however, tapped her foot impatiently. "Alice, I need to meet with you in my office, please."

Alice flitted up the stairs and entered my office. I hurried behind her, knowing that if I was correct, time could be precious. With the door shut, it was easier to keep things slightly private.

She looked at we with curiosity burning in her eyes.

"I need you to do something for me," I began. She nodded, already knowing what I would say.

"I promised him, Carlisle," she said. I closed my eyes.

"I know, but something is not right," I began. "Just one look. Just check to make sure she is okay."

"What exactly am I looking for?" she asked, tugging at her hair nervously. I was sure that she was envisioning Edward's wrath, his fury. Though it was an emotion she would take from him rather than the numbing pain he exerted.

"I…I think she's in some sort of trouble. I looked at her medical file, and something isn't right. I know Bella has a natural attraction to accidents, but these types of accidents happening so frequently…" I trailed off, seeing that Alice was already focused on seeing Bella.

"Oh my god," she gasped. Her hands shook as she ran them through her hair. "It's bad. Really bad. How could this happen? How could _I _let this happen?" Alice paced the room back and forth, mumbling to herself, still shaking.

"Alice, what did you see?" I asked. She shook her head, still pacing. "I need to know." She sighed.

"He…he _beats_ her. Carlisle, she's so thin, she looks like glass. And the bruises, all of that blood…he'll kill her, Carlisle." Her voice quavered and she turned to face me, expecting a reply.

"Don't speak of this to anyone. Make no attempt to contact Edward either. This is a very delicate situation, and I think it's best if I speak with Edward about this first. He won't be very happy."

"He never is," she grumbled. I felt the horror of it all settle into my chest. Bella shouldn't have allowed this to happen to herself, but I knew that we were all at fault for it. I warily picked up the phone on my desk and dialed Edward's number.

I waited for a short period of time before he answered.

"Hello, Carlisle," he said. I could hear the misery in his voice, the pain.

"Hello Edward," I said. "I'm sorry if I'm interrupting anything."

"Oh, no," Edward said. "You weren't interrupting anything," he said monotonously. "Is everything okay?" My response, which should have been immediate, was postponed. I was mesmerized by the sound of his voice, so miserable and laced with pain.

"Well, not actually, we have a bit of a situation."

"Is Esme…" he started to ask.

"Esme is fine," I interrupted.

"Alice?"

"No, Edward. If it's not too much to ask, I would like you to come to the house as soon as possible," I said, hoping that he wouldn't disregard everything that I was saying.

"Of course, I'll be there shortly." He hung up the phone and I set the receiver back down quietly. Alice burst into the room, already knowing what I was about to ask of her.

"You want me to leave!?" she cried, her small hands balled into fists.

"Just long enough for me to speak with him," I tried to explain.

"He's my brother, I deserve to see him! What if he isn't here when I get back? What then? I get to go another four months without seeing him?"

"All that I'm asking for is one hour. Surely he will stay longer than that." In truth, I didn't know if an hour would be enough time to explain the situation and keep him here, but I would have to work with what I had.

"I can't make the visions stop now, Carlisle, he's going to see them anyway."

"I know that, little one," I said, trying to be as gentle as possible. Temper tantrums were incredibly rare in this house hold, especially coming from Alice. "But if Edward were to see anything upon arrival, the outcome will invariably be bad. Please, try to understand."

She nodded slowly, still upset. "Does this mean Esme and Jasper have to go?"

"Yes," I answered. She pouted, then sniffed and squared her shoulders.

"All right. Fine. He'll be here in four hours." Alice left the room and shut the door behind her. I wondered where Edward had holed himself up into this time. Rio, Texas, Canada, Guatemala, Scotland. For him, I'm sure, it was just different places that were meaningless to him. The spark in his eyes had died long ago.

Esme was opposed to the idea of leaving just as much as Alice was. "Carlisle, he is my son as well. I _need_ to see him."

"I know, my love. He'll be here when you get back, I'll make sure of it." The three of them left soon after, leaving me alone with my thoughts. I looked around the room and saw how little things had changed. Edward's piano still sat in the corner of the living room, neglected for too long. Edward never played when he came to visit. Esme still dusted it, and occasionally polished it when needed. It shone under the synthetic lights in our ceiling.

I preferred our old home in Forks. A large part of me hoped that things would go back to the way they were before. I preferred the last hospital that I worked at, like being able to go out during most hours of the day. Now, we spent most of our time hiding from the sun that almost never went away.

I sat down on the sofa and waited. There was no use busying myself with work that I wouldn't be able to concentrate on. I had seen several cases of abuse, especially domestic violence, but the thought of Bella allowing herself to be put through it was tormenting.

I remembered the last time that I saw Bella, I could see the trust in her eyes alongside the fear. But I knew she wasn't afraid of what had just happened, she was afraid of the mess that she made. Typical.

I heard Edward's approach to the house long before he entered. I even heard him pause outside of the door for several moments. Then, the door handle turned slowly and I met the startled eyes of my son.

**EPOV**

I had absolutely no desire to return to my family's new home. I only felt obligated because of Carlisle's asking me. I despised Los Angeles. In my opinion, it was nothing more than a polluted city filled with gang relations and violence. Then again, I despised any city were _she _wasn't. Any distance away from her was a prison, a torture chamber.

As I neared the house, I noticed that no one besides Carlisle was there. He had told me there was a situation, but I didn't expect it to require a vacancy. Perhaps there was another run-in with a traveling coven? My gut clenched when I thought of the last time we had run into a group like that. The memory left me breathless, unable to fill my lungs.

Then Carlisle's thoughts hit me. They were swarming with her name. I zoned in on the words, drawn in by the sound of it through someone else's perspective. It was so enraptured by the sound of it, my mind screaming at me. It hurt to hear it, but I couldn't stop myself from listening.

The I became aware of other words that were coming at me. Words that I didn't want to hear, words that were endlessly painful, and terrifying. I turned the door handle slowly and walked into the house. Carlisle was waiting for me, expecting me.

I walked into his embrace, my lungs still constricted. "What's going on?" I asked, taking a step back from him.

"I think you had better sit down," Carlisle said, returning to his original position on the sofa. I sat down across from him, reading his thoughts. Fury coursed through me. I should have known.

"Carlisle, you promised," I said through my teeth. I fought to control myself. "_I_ promised her. We would stay out of her life, leave her to live normally."

"I know that," he said. "And I respect that, but now is the time to push those promises aside. Think of this as a similar situation to me finding you." I only became angrier.

"This has _nothing_ to with that. She's not dying of the Spanish influenza," I hissed. "I would have died either way. Bella has a long and happy life ahead of her." Her name burned my mouth, stung my vocal cords in a way that only the sweetest poison could have.

"You're missing my point, Edward," Carlisle said. "The situations are almost exactly the same way." My thoughts slowed when I took in his grave facial expression.

"What?"

"If Bella continues with the life she is living, she will die. She is quickly nearing that point as we speak." It felt like someone had dropped an anvil down my throat.

"What are you talking about?" I choked out. The thought of Bella dying prematurely was unfathomable. The thought of Bella _dying_ was horrifying. Carlisle reached over and dug through his brief case. He pulled out a thick file and handed it to me.

"You stole her medical file?" I accused. He shook his head.

"No, I made copies of it." I slowly flipped open the front cover and began to read through the reports. Each accident that I read about sent me further into pain, further into regret.

"So she's had several accidents. That's to be expected with her," I said quietly. "Why are you showing me this?" Carlisle sighed.

"Alice and I looked into it," he explained. I was seething in an instant.

"Does nothing matter to you guys anymore? This is her _life_ we are balancing on a scale. No more," I said firmly.

"He'll kill her," Carlisle said finally. I stopped breathing.

"Who?"

"I don't know, but whoever it is, he will. She has thrown herself into a life of abuse. The beatings are only getting worse. Edward, if we don't do something now, I fear it will be too late."

My chest shook. The thought of Bella, my beautiful Bella, being harmed by human hands was maddening. Worse was that I knew that if I hadn't left and forced my family to leave as well, she wouldn't be in this situation.

"So what are you saying?" I finally asked.

"It's time we returned."

**Yes, yes, this really does mean they're coming back : As for what happens when they arrive...well, that's a secret until I post it. Muahaha.  
**

**Thanks Leslie :  
**


	4. Chapter 4

**BPOV**

Walking. It was the only way that I could even attempt to clear my mind. It was unsafe to drive; I would probably crash the car. I was like a cracked porcelain shell to begin with, and Angela's words had driven a wedge between the fractures, creating splinters in my chest. I moved aimlessly, daring the clouds to dump themselves on me, yet again. It was stupid of me to leave, but I needed to run to keep myself from breaking down. That was the last thing I needed.

Angela's house was situated precariously close to the edge of the forest. However, I didn't allow myself to even step beneath the trees. There were too many memories hidden in the brush, and plus, I would undoubtedly get lost and end up coming home late again. I didn't care who saw me and I knew I would get rained on again. Nothing much seemed to matter right now. I struggled to get their names out of my head. _Think about Ian_, I coaxed myself. I thought back to tucking him in, but my conversation with his mother resurfaced.

_Think about…Dan_, I tried again. This time, only bile rose in my throat. I threw my hands up in surrender. "Don't think about anything, then!" I said out loud, looking up at the sky. On queue, a small raindrop splattered in my eye. It was followed by several more that quickly progressed in speed and size. "Oh, what a day," I sighed.

It was then, while I was being pelted by rain, that I saw it. A familiar black Mercedes. It drove by slowly and something inside of me snapped. A support on the dam that I had built inside of myself gave way. My knees folded beneath me and I sank onto the concrete, cradling my head in my hands. I knew then that I would never be able to forget. I wouldn't be able to pretend that I was happy because I never _would_ be happy. Not unless I was with _Him_.

A shuddering sob escaped my tightly wound chest. No matter how hard I squeezed my eyes shut, I couldn't keep the overwhelming tears from escaping. Surely, they blended well with the rain drops. My body shook and I fought to regain control, failing miserably. He was the entire reason for my life, and therefore, my life was gone.

Still blinded by tears, I managed to pull myself up from the ground and take a few steps toward Angela's house. Though the sky had darkened due to the time change, the rain still fell steadily. My wet jeans slopped on the ground. As I picked up pace, I slowly began to breath with more ease. Coherency was in my grasp again, and I realized that if I didn't hurry, I wouldn't have dinner made in time.

In my car, I checked my reflection in the rear view mirror. As expected, my skin had betrayed me. It was red, swollen and splotchy. I drove quickly, trembling even though the heater was on. "Thank god," I muttered when I saw the empty driveway. He would probably be home in the next half an hour, so I settled on making something quick and fairly easy for dinner: spaghetti and meatballs.

After setting a pot of water on the stove to boil, I tossed a premade load of garlic bread in the over and began shaping meatballs. I didn't spice them up like I normally would have, just the basic seasonings, and then I was cooking them alongside the linguini. Dan walked in the door just as I was pouring the sauce into a pan.

"Hey babe," he called out, clearly in a good mood.

"Hi," I replied, silently urging the noodles to cook faster. I heard his approaching footsteps and I quickly switched off the heat on the stove. "Dinner's just about done." He stopped right behind me and I felt his hand on my shoulder.

"Why are your clothes wet?" he asked, running his hands along the sides of my shirt and jeans. I bit my lip, realizing I had forgotten to change, never mind the fact that he was invading my personal space.

"Oh…I had some car troubles at the gas station and I got wet waiting for help." It wasn't a complete lie....

"What happened?"

"I think the engine stalled, but I could be wrong. I just needed spark plugs and it was fine."

"Oh. You should have called me. Who helped you?" he asked.

"I just called Angela. She brought the cables." His hand rested on the fabric of my jeans.

"Why don't you have your own set of cables?" his hand was moving again.

"I never occurred to me to get any. I'll buy some the next chance I get," I answered, moving to the cabinet to get a strainer. He walked out of the kitchen and I heard him settle on the sofa. Moving quickly, I drained the noodles and pulled the bread out of the oven. He smiled when he saw me set his plate down on the table. Then I realized why he was in such a good mood. He wanted something. Dan probably thought that I would respond to him one of these days, it would just take several hundred beatings to get it through my head.

It always started out the same way, with the sweet talking and genuinely good mood. Then the disappointment would set in, quickly followed by a flash of anger that wouldn't fade until he had fallen asleep. I bit the inside of my cheek and sat down across from him at the table. "How was your day?" I asked tentatively.

He shrugged and took a bite out of his bread. "It was a day." I felt his hot stare as I looked down to twirl more spaghetti onto my fork. "Everything okay?" he asked, taking a swig out of his glass. I nodded.

"Yeah, why?"

"Are you lying to me?" he asked.

"No," I said slowly, praying my voice wouldn't tremble, as it was threatening to do. He seemed to accept it. We finished eating in silence, and I cleared the table, thankful to get away from his constant stares.

"Hey, I gotta go get a couple things, be here when I get back, okay?" Dan said, pulled his jacket on.

"Sure thing," I called over the running water from the sink. I head the door shut and set down the dish that I was cleaning. I moved slowly toward the couch and stretched my body across it, gripping anything that I could. I knew what would happen as soon as Dan got back home, and I knew I couldn't handle it. Handling it was hard enough on a good day. My body would freeze up like it did on that first night, and he would only react twice as bad.

My breathing was uneven because of the fear that bubbled inside of me. Maybe if I 'fell asleep' he would leave me alone? As I chewed on that thought, the phone rang. I sighed and slumped forward, fumbling for the cordless phone.

"Hello?"

"Bella?" I recognized the voice on the other end.

"Mom?"

"Hi baby," she said, sounding happy. "Are you all right? You sound upset," she asked.

"Yeah, it's just been a long day is all," I said. "So how are you?" I asked. "How's Phil?"

"Oh, Phil's fine. He likes working at the high school, the kids respect him. I'm doing all right, things are pretty much the same. I still miss you though."

"I miss you too," I said out of sheer habit even though it was true. There was an awkward silence.

"Bella, can I ask you something?"

"Sure," I said. "Anything."

"Well, it may not be any of my business because you're an adult now, but I've been worried about you. Are things going okay between you and Dan?" I knew exactly how to answer that question.

"Of course they are, mom," I said. Unfortunately, my voice broke on the last word, almost giving everything away..

"Bella?"

"Really mom, everything's fine."

"I'll take your word for it," she sighed in surrender. "Anyways, I'll call you tomorrow morning, okay? I just want to check in, you sound pretty worn down."

"Okay, I love you," I said. After I hung up, I had forgotten about falling asleep. It was too late now because I heard Dan's car pull up to the house. I got up and walked back into the kitchen to finish cleaning up.

My body tightened, folded in on itself, as I heard the front door close again. I braced myself for the illegitimate torture that seemed to be a package deal in this brilliant stage of my life.

**EPOV**

Returning to Forks was much easier than I thought it would be. My body seemed to crave it, just the memories that I placed so sacredly held were enough to revive a small chunk within me. The house was exactly the same, with the exception of the dust that had piled on top of the furniture.

When we left, we never took much. With every house we bought came a new set of belongings, including pianos, clothes and furniture. The house still smelled like her in certain spots, my room especially. It was driving me insane because I needed more. My body was completely dependent upon Bella to survive. I had no idea of how I survived this long without her.

At the same time, I fought against massive waves of anger that attacked every nerve in my body. I shouldn't have been doing this; I promised I would never bother her. But Carlisle said she would…die? It was too painful for me to imagine.

I ran my fingertips across the shelves in my room, remembering the last time I had stood in here with her. Getting Rosalie and Emmett—well, just Rosalie—to agree to come back was a challenge, but they finally agreed. Esme hadn't stopped smiling since she laid eyes upon me. I was like the Holy Grail.

I wanted nothing more that to be able to hold her in my arms, to make every bruise and cut and scar go away. The Bella that I had seen through Alice's mind sent tremors through my entire body. I crushed the door in my hand as soon as the first image hit me. Then I couldn't keep myself from crying out in agony. What had I done to her?

When Alice came running into my room, I could see the fear in her eyes. Then it was like a motion picture flashing through my mind. Just miles away, somebody was hurting her as we spoke, in the worst possible way. It was like Port Angeles all over again, only so much more vivid and actually happening.

"No!" I screamed. She shook her head silently.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. Then she saw what I was about to do. "JASPER!" she screamed. The two of them suddenly locked me into place and I struggled against their arms, dangerously close to winning. Then Emmett stepped in and I knew I had lost. They held me down, not letting up until Jasper felt I was stable enough.

"Edward, no," Alice said gently. _Killing him now won't do any good._

"Alice, he's _hurting_ her. He deserves to die."

"I know," she said.

"What's he doing?" Emmett asked. Jasper elbowed him.

"Later," he hissed. I tried to shake the images from my head, but every time I blinked, her pained face would flash behind my eyes, the silver tear that slipped down the side of her cheek. Alice managed to keep me there for the next two hours.

"It's safe," she muttered, allowing me to return to my normal routine. Things would be slightly different now. I wasn't sure if I could calmly watch Bella sleep, knowing there was someone else there. Someone who deliberately put her in pain—almost in the same way I had, I was sure.

It was easy enough to find her new home; Bella's scent was everywhere. I followed it until I come to the main source. I stopped breathing when I finally laid eyes on her. Bella was sleeping in what appeared to be the guest bedroom.

Her face was wet and her skin glistened in the light that she had left on. She slept in the fetal position, guarding her body unconsciously. I wondered home many times this had happened and accidently snapped a chunk of wood off of her windowsill. I made a mental note to fix it as soon as the house was empty.

The fury that burned inside of me was almost enough to tear me away from her so I could find whoever this person was. I knew he was in another room in the house. The sudden thought crossed my mind that maybe she was married? I didn't see a ring on her hand, but it was a possibility. _Bella wouldn't be so thoughtless as to marry somebody like that._ I told myself.

I looked over at Bella, my eyes locking in on her face. I stayed that way until the first light began to show and I heard someone else moving around in the house. It was _him_.

Moving so I wouldn't do anything that I would later regret, I ran back to the house. Alice was waiting, as I expected.

"Well?" she asked. I simply shook my head and moved to sit on the couch.

"I don't know how to do this," I confessed. "It's too late. There's too much that I could destroy."

"Edward, Bella is stuck in an abusive marriage," she said. I looked up slowly, dread seeping into my stomach.

"You knew she was married?" She nodded.

"I saw something about it, but I wasn't sure until a little while ago. I knew things would be bad, but I didn't expect…"

I was filled with such hatred toward myself that it was impossible for me to speak. I was torn; should I leave now? I couldn't possible cause Bella anymore pain by leaving when she didn't even know I was here in the first place. If I stayed, several outcomes were possible, and most of them not good.

"Don't even think about leaving," Alice hissed at me. "She'll be happy in the end, I know that much. Please, don't make me think about what will happen to her if you go," she said. I looked up and the images flickered through my head, causing me to wince and suck in a deep breath. "You could try calling her," she guessed.

"Don't be ridiculous, Alice," I muttered.

"What's the worst she could do? Hang up the phone? Popping up out of nowhere won't turn out so swell."

"I don't have her telephone number, she moved." I was adamant about it, so sure that I should turn around and leave this place again. Alice surprised me by flicking a folded piece of paper at me, and a series of numbers were written across it. I sighed.

I pulled my phone out of my pocket and slowly punched in the numbers.

**BPOV**

My entire body screamed when I woke up. I felt violated and weak. The only pleasant thing about waking up was that I was alone. My shower was welcoming, numbing even though I could feel the water against my skin like needles.

I stumbled down the stairs to find the bottle of Tylenol in the kitchen. As I wrestled with the bottle, trying to pry the cap open, the phone rang. I reached over the counter and pinned the phone between my ear and shoulder.

"Hello?" I asked, still struggling with the bottle.

"Bella?" A familiar, musical voice asked. I gasped, praying that I wasn't hearing things. After my conversation last night, I expected it to be Renee, but I got the sense that I was very wrong. I couldn't have gone crazy, could I? My arm jolted and the bottle flew across the room. The cap flew off when it hit the floor and the caplets flew all over the place. I hadn't realized it, but the phone had slipped from my hand in this process as well, sending the batteries into the mess of pills all over the floor.

**Holy Schnitzel! I guess this means that he's in it for good, huh? And to be honest, I've always been more of an Advil person :)**


	5. Chapter 5

**BPOV**

I fumbled around on the floor, searching for parts of the phone that had broken off. "Come on, come on," I muttered, urging my hands to search faster. When I finally put the phone back together, I frantically dialed Angela's number.

"Hello?" A high-pitched voice asked.

"Ian, it's Bella. Will you put your mommy on the phone, please?" I asked, breathless.

"Sure!" he agreed. I heard him pass the phone on.

"Hey Bella, what's up?" Angela asked, a smile evident in her voice.

"Did you just call me?" I asked, hoping that my ears were just off because of the weather. She seemed confused.

"No…"she trailed off.

"Did Ben?" I asked, reaching far on this one.

"He's working, I don't think he would call, but I could ask him," she offered. My stomach clenched.

"Oh, no, that's okay," I said quickly. "The phone rang and I dropped the phone before I could answer, that's all," I lied.

"Well, I don't think it was us, unless Ian was messing with the phone." I ruled that possibility out—there was no way that Ian's voice could come even close to what I heard.

"All right, I was just checking," I said, still trying to control my breathing. "Uh, before I go, did you need me to work today?" I asked.

"Oh, yes, actually. Could you come by some time around three? I need to run a few errands, and I think Ian's getting sick. I don't really want him outside right now." I agreed to be there and set the phone down with shaking hands. I pulled my hair up off of my neck and took a few deep breaths.

I dressed even warmer than I did yesterday, this time bringing a jacket with me that had a hood. When I stepped past the driveway, I literally walked into a giant cloud. The fog was much heavier than it normally was; it hung much closer to the ground, obscuring my view and making it difficult to see in front of me. My hair quickly became damp from the excess moisture in the air.

The weather was oddly peaceful. Even though I could feel the oncoming waves of despair that would undoubtedly ruin my façade of the day. For now, I let the coolness of the air wash over me and I walked through the clouds like I was in a dream. The strings that held me to the ground detached themselves just for a few minutes, allowing me to remember once more.

As the fog touched my skin, I pulled at the memories of Edward lightly running his fingers across my cheek bones. I smiled lightly and closed my eyes, continuing to move forward. It wasn't exactly a genius move for someone like me, but for the first time in a while, I felt at ease.

I imagined that Edward was there with me, walking next to me. The temperature matched his skin, with my eyes closed and my imagination, I could make a _small_ part of it come true. I even went so far as to imagine my lullaby playing, echoing off into the distance. _I've already started, might as well enjoy myself,_ I thought.

There were three ways that this would end for me. The first being that I would realize this wasn't enough, the second being that my imagine would drift off to events that I _didn't_ want to remember. The last possibility would be that I trip on something and snap out of my trance-like state. Either one would have the same side effects—a huge crevice that would take another year to slowly shrink.

I was wrong. My moment of peace ended for a completely different reason. I _collided_ with something. At first I thought it was a telephone pole. Maybe a parked car? Then I felt a pair of cold, marble-like arms reach out to steady me. I instantly came out of it and gasped, snapping open my eyes.

In front of me was someone that I had believed I would never see again. I peered into the familiar and warming golden eyes and felt my throat close up. I knew I had been imaging things, but this was insane. Had I gone crazy? There was absolutely no way that this could be happening. Edward didn't love me anymore. Why would be here?

He looked desperate, but then a slow crooked smile spread along the side of his face. Yep…I was crazy. It was perfect, just as I had remembered it. "I'm hallucinating," I whispered.

Edward's face crumpled, twisting into a mask of confusion and despair. "No, Bella," he said. His velvety voice was almost tangible. It blew over me like my skin was parched and needed water. I shook my head.

"No. This isn't happening." My knees started to tremble and I felt his grip on my arms tighten slightly. "Y-you're not real. Why would you be back?"

He seemed cautious now, yet somehow determined. "Because I love you," he said. My entire body was now being supported. This wasn't right.

"You don't," I argued. "You said you didn't," I choked out, terrified because I was positive that I had gone crazy. He shook his head once more and I felt my legs fall out from underneath me. My leg's had given out, but before I could hit the ground, I somehow ended up in his arms.

He was walking, moving in the direction of my house. I was barely coherent, yet he spoke to me with kind, gentle words.

"I promise you, I am real," he said.

"Why?" I demanded. He stopped moving.

"What?"

"Why are you here?" Things were starting to clear up again, not only my mind but the fog as well. I looked down to see his feet moving—more like gliding—over the ground. Reality hit me with full force.

"I think you know why I'm here, Bella," he answered. I honestly didn't. I cowered into his chest and shuddered. This was real. I was really in Edward's arms right now.

"You've been gone for three years Edward," I said, working my lips carefully around his name. "Why now?" My voice wasn't very audible, but he could hear it. Suddenly, I was on the ground again. He was still guarded, almost as stiff as I was.

His eyes were smoldering, similar to the way they were when we first met, but this time, there were different messages in them.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. His voice shook, like he was holding something back, maybe he was trying not to breath. I was completely unaware of what I was doing; I could only focus on him. He reached up slowly lifted something off of my face. A tear. Several beads of moisture trailed down my cheeks. I was crying, but my body only felt relieved. It was like somebody had returned the part of me that was missing.

"Uh…do you want to come in?" I asked, my voice still shook. I was afraid to blink. He nodded.

"Yes, I would like that," he answered. Edward's pace matched mine as I lead him up to the door. He rested his hand lightly on my elbow. I wasn't sure if he was helping me keep balance or not. I could feel his eyes on me as I pushed the door open to go inside. My heart thudded uneasily. So much for keeping a brave face.

I hesitantly took off my jacket and hung in the hall closet. He only stared at me when we sat down in the living room. I couldn't speak. I worked on memorizing the features of his face once more—my memory had failed in many ways. "How have you been?" he finally asked. I swallowed nervously.

"Fine." I lied. My voice gave it all away and I knew he saw right through it from the flicker in his eyes. He looked sad. "Edward, I…I need to tell you something," I said uneasily. My facial expression was anything put pleasant. He nodded.

"I know." My eyes widened slightly. "Believe me Bella, I know." It wasn't so much the words that he said, but how he said them. He _knew. _Edward's eyes were on fire.

"Edward, I don't know what to say," I breathed. "You left-and Charlie-and Renee-everything was so-" I was interrupted by a strange hiccupping noise. Then I realized it was me. I was sobbing, trying to get the words out but they just came out to be nonsense.

"Shhh," Edward comforted. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into his chest. I turned my face into his body. He rocked me back and forth, trying to calm me down, but I couldn't stop. Everything just spilled over. My body shook uncontrollably, unused to the flood of emotion. We sat that way for at least an hour until I stopped crying. I ran my fingers through my hair nervously and looked over at him.

"I'm sorry," I murmured. He shook his head quickly.

"You have nothing to be sorry for." I felt as if I did. I married someone else, when in truth, I belonged to Edward. Every part of me did. "I broke my promise to you, Bella. I will never forgive myself for that."

I sighed and looked up at him.

"What are we going to do?" I whispered. His eyes flashed.

"Keep you safe, that's what we're going to do," he said through his teeth. I stiffened in his arms.

"What are you talking about?" I gasped, my mind suddenly flashed to one of the most terrifying moments of my life—James. This had to have been why he had come back; others were coming.

"I think you know," he said gently. He ran his fingertips over the visible skin of my collarbone. The touch felt magical. I didn't even realize what he was pointing out. When I saw the visible pain in his eyes, it clicked. There must have been a bruise.

"It's not what you think," I whispered, reaching up to pull his hand off of mine. I held it between my palms, and silently commanded my eyes not to tear up, as they were threatening to do. He looked at me oddly.

"Bella, you don't need to pretend with me. You don't need to lie." For an instant, I finally felt a click in my brain. I had known all along that this was bad; my situation wasn't unheard of, but I wasn't doing much to help it. My brain suddenly registered something: trust.

I didn't trust that Edward was here for good. A larger part of me expected him to leave just as soon as I started to feel better. I trusted that I wouldn't have to hide myself from him. I knew I would safe, at least until he left again, _if_ he did.

I didn't say anything, only looked down, afraid to meet his eyes because he knew the truth. He lifted my face up with his index finger and held onto my chin. "I will never let him harm you again."

I sucked in a deep breath, trying to find my voice again. "And…when you leave?" He looked appalled.

"Isabella Marie Swan," he patronized. "_I will never leave you again. _I will always be here." My mouth hung open and my face crumpled in confusion.

"Why, Edward? If you're so determined to stay now, why did you leave in the first place?" His face hardened and I recognized a familiar glint in his eyes, a cross between anger and sorrow.

"I left to keep you safe," he answered. "I couldn't live with myself if something like…the night of your 18th birthday happened again and I was so sure that the past would only repeat itself if I stayed—" he stopped short and shook his head, appearing as if he were trying to shake the thoughts from his head.

"I thought that if I left you in one piece," he continued, "You wouldn't end up this way, yet when I return, you're worse off than I had ever imagined, broken." I had been fighting the urge to reach out and touch his face, but I lost. Hesitantly, I lifted my hand and pressed it to his cold cheek. My heart thudded and my mind rejoiced. He really was here.

"But I'm not broken," I protested, pressing my hand harder against his skin. He didn't reply to that, only closed his eyes and took slow breaths. I could tell he was going to argue with me again. "For now, Edward, I'm whole."


	6. Chapter 6

**BPOV**

Edward asked several questions about my life up until this point. It was like meeting for the first time again, 20-questions to the max. I tried to avoid certain answers, but he could always tell whenever I made an attempt. "What's his name?" he asked.

"Dan."

"How did you two meet?" I tried to avoid anything that had to with him, but he got it out of me anyway.

"He works at the station with Charlie." Edward's eyes narrowed slightly and muttered under his breath. The questions continued, and I was grateful for every word that he spoke to me. Periodically, he would reach up and brush a tear off of my cheek. I didn't even notice it when I started to cry anymore; I didn't even notice my own breathing. I was completely absorbed in him.

I just happened to glance up at the clock on the wall and see what time it was. "Shoot," I muttered, suddenly remembering that I had plans today.

"What is it?" he asked

"I have to go to work," I said uneasily. He nodded in understanding.

"Would it be alright if I came with you?" he asked. My hesitation in answering him caused him to backtrack.

"If it's a problem, then I won't," he started to say.

"No, Edward, I want you to come with me," I said, terrified at the thought of being without him, even for a few hours. "I just don't think things will go smoothly if Ian sees you," I explained. He looked confused.

"Ian?" My eyes widened.

"I'm sorry…I didn't tell you. Ian is Angela and Ben's son. I'm his nanny." He suddenly looked relieved. "What?" I asked.

"I used to think that there wouldn't be anything more frustrating than not being able to hear your thoughts, but I was wrong. I can't hear your thoughts, _and_ I don't know your life anymore, so following along with what you say is difficult. I didn't know who Ian was…I don't know anything anymore." I didn't know how to reply.

"But that will change over time," he promised me. I was still conflicted over being away from him.

"What if I called you when Ian's taking a nap?" I asked, trembling slightly. He wrapped his arms around my shoulders and pulled me into him.

"I'll be there as soon as you've finished dialing." A sudden thought occurred to me.

"Is your number the same?" I asked. I hadn't ever tried calling it after he left. He nodded.

"Yes. I thought about changing it many times, but I needed _some_ small connection with you to stay partially sane. I knew that if by some chance you _did_ call me, it would give me every reason to come back—I wouldn't be able to fight against myself anymore." I looked down, shying away from the burning seriousness in his voice.

He quickly changed the subject. "Would you like me to drive you?" he asked. I didn't remember him having his car with him.

"O-of course," I stuttered, slowly rising from the couch. He pulled open the front door for me, and I was startled to see the same silver Volvo parked in my driveway. I turned to gawk at him, but he answered any question that I may have had with one word.

"Alice."

"Alice is here too?" I asked, suddenly sounding like a little kid. He nodded.

"We all are." He waited patiently while I buckled my seat belt. His driving was just as I remembered it, crazy and unpredictable. I remembered the first time I had experienced his real driving, how appalled I was.

"Turn here," I instructed. He followed my directions and somehow kept his eyes on me at the same time. "Wait!" I cried out, suddenly panicked. He stopped the car immediately.

"What?" he asked, sounding just as panicked as I was.

"I need to get out here," I explained. "I don't want her to see you, not yet." He closed his eyes and nodded.

"I understand."

"She lives at 24435, it's the one with a blue windows." I opened the door and slowly got out of the car. "I'll call," I promised.

"Until then," he said, and then drove away slowly. I hurried over to the sidewalk and stopped in front of Angela's house. Would she be able to see the difference immediately? When I walked in the house, Angela was sitting with Ian on the couch. His half-eaten snack was still laid out on the coffee table.

"Bella!" Ian shouted, springing off of the couch and ramming into me. I smiled and ruffled his hair, not even noticing the pain when he collided with me.

"Hey buddy," I said and towed him back over to the couch. Angela fumbled around trying to find her purse.

"Hey Bella," she said happily. I smiled and gave her a one-armed hug. "I don't know how long I'm going to be out for. We've been having some banking trouble, the accounts are all messed up," she explained. "Plus, I had to stop by the store for a few things too."

"Okay," I said. "I've got all day." I cringed inwardly. I did have all day, but I didn't necessarily want to spend it here.

"Bye Mommy," Ian shouted, running into his room and digging around in his toy chest. Angela laughed to herself and hurried out of the house and into her car. The next two hours were torture. Ian, as always, was an angel….an angel who apparently didn't want to take a nap.

I finally got him to fall asleep after three glasses of warm milk and a full rotation of Chopin's Nocturnes. I easily lifted him off of the couch and tucked him into his own bed, closing the door halfway.

I hurried into the kitchen and picked up their house phone. I dialed his number slowly, unused to pressing on the keys, even though my fingers had it memorized. He answered on the first ring.

"Bella?"

"Yes, it's me," I sighed into the receiver. "He's sleeping." There was a knock on the front door as soon as I finished my sentence. "If that's you, just come in," I said. The front door opened and shut quietly. I put down the phone and walked into the living room.

My heart stopped when I saw him, which I had expected to happen. I couldn't keep myself from throwing myself across the room and into his arms. "That was torturous," I muttered. He chuckled.

"I agree." He carefully lifted me into his arms and sat down on the couch, draping me over his lap. I looked up at him and managed to smile.

"What were you doing for the last couple of hours?" I asked. He shrugged.

"I just went home. Alice said you'd be calling soon so I left early and waited."

"Oh." Alice. God, I missed her.

"Alice wanted to come, but I told her to wait," he said.

"Why?" I asked, shocked.

"We're watching things very closely now, and I want to take things slowly." He read the confusion in my eyes and explained further. "If I brought Alice with me, you wouldn't have been very stable. But if you would like, I will take you to see her as soon as Angela gets back home." I nodded.

"Okay, thanks." He ran his fingers through my hair and was quiet for a few moments.

"Why don't you wear your wedding ring?" he asked. I looked down at my hands and sighed.

"Well, not that I have any desire wear it now," I started, "but I guess I'm allergic to something in the metal. My skin always reacts when I put it on, so I stopped wearing it a few months ago." He laced his fingers through mine and I turned my face into his chest and was momentarily intoxicated.

"Angela's coming," he said quickly. I sat up and started to panic.

"Don't leave," I whispered. He nodded and ran into the hallway. I swallowed hard and flicked on the TV. After a couple of minutes, Angela opened the door and carried in a few bags of groceries.

"Hey," she said cheerily. I smiled at her and offered to help with the bags. "Oh, no, that's okay. Stay there, I wanted to talk to you," she said as she sat them down on the counter and plopped down on the couch. She looked nervous.

"Alright, what's up?" I asked.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but I'll say it anyway because I love you and I can't watch this happen anymore." I eyed her warily.

"Angela," I started. She held up a hand to silence me.

"No, Bella let me finish. Please. I don't know if you love Dan or not, but I meant what I said the other day. You've never gotten over Edward, and I know because I was there the whole time. I saw you everyday at school, I saw you after the honey moon and I've seen you almost every day since. Ian talks about the bruises, and I've seen them myself." I just sat there.

"If it happens again, I'll tell Charlie. I don't want to see you hurt anymore. I won't let it happen."

"Ange, it's not going to happen anymore," I said weakly. She glared at me.

"That's what they all say, Bella."

"It's different this time," I promised. She still glared.

"Oh really?" I closed my eyes and tried to think of the words before they came out, but it was too late.

"Edward's back." Her jaw dropped and her eyes bugged out a little.

"What?"

"H-he's back." I said, smiling lightly.

"Since when?"

"Today, actually." She shook her head slowly.

"Why would he be back? Did he come back for you?" she asked.

"I-I don't really know why," I lied, "but he's here, and that's all that matters to me. Don't say anything to anyone, please," I begged.

"I won't," she said. She looked at me oddly. "That's why your cheeks look warmer," she laughed. "Are you going to leave Dan?" My blood went cold. I didn't even know if that was possible. I wanted to with ever fiber of my being, but I didn't know if it was even a possibility.

"You know how these things go," I said hoarsely. She nodded. I cleared my throat. "I don't think I'll be around very much for the next few days. I have to take care of a few things," I said.

"Oh, don't worry about it," she said. "Just keep yourself safe, Bella." I reached over and gave Angela a hug and then left. Edward pulled the car up to the curb as soon as I got out and we drove off quickly. He was quiet, and drove slower than he normally did.

"Is something wrong?" I asked hesitantly. He shook his head.

"I didn't know that Angela had such a vivid memory of the past," he said quietly. Dread seeped into my core. He must have seen her mind when Angela named off the things she had seen me go through.

"It's in the past, Edward," I said forcefully. "None of that matters now, we have more important things to think about."

"None of that matters?" he asked. "It matters to me. I will never forgive myself," he said with his jaw clenched. I decided against arguing, I didn't want to see him mad. He turned down a familiar pathway and sped past the trees. The closer we go to the house, the more and more excited I got.

My body was craving just the general presence of the family. _My family_. They had always felt that way to me, it just felt natural to me. My heart pounded in my chest, fueled by adrenaline. For the first time in years, I felt alive. Each breath that I took was exhilarating.

"Listen to your heart flutter," he mumbled. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asked. I scowled at him and got out of the car. Edward was in front of me before I could step forward. He sighed and ruffled my hair. I winced and grabbed his hand, trying to tow him toward the house, even though I knew it was useless. It was as if he thought I hated his family now that they had been gone for so long.

"Edward, I love your family. I feel like they're my own, and I'm perfectly stable," I argued. He squeezed my hand gently and we finally made it to the front door. I let out a sigh of relief when he pushed open the front door and allowed me to walk into the house. Everything was exactly the same way as it had been.

Alice was waiting at the top of the stairs, smiling and bouncy as ever. I looked up at her and felt my face break into a grin. She flew down the stairs and I threw myself against her, ignoring the biting pain that wound its way through my nerves. The rest of the family slowly approached. I even noticed Rosalie had come.

They all stared at me like they hadn't ever seen me before. "Hi…" I started. I took in the expressions of everyone around me, even Alice's. Panic-stricken, somber, dismayed. I turned to look at Edward, suddenly afraid. Had I done something wrong?

"What is it?" I asked in a small voice. Edward wound his arm around my waist.

"We weren't expecting you to look so…" Alice tried to say.

"Dead." Rosalie finished. I exhaled quickly. That was it. As bad as it may have been, I was expecting much worse. I didn't say anything, only looked down at the ground.

"I'm…sorry," I whispered. Esme quickly stepped forward and pulled me out of Edward's grip and into her arms.

"No, my dear, _we're_ sorry." I could feel Edward fuming behind me, and I knew waves of hate were being directed toward Rosalie by the expression on Jasper's face. I laughed shakily, and the rest of the family warmed up. Things were returning to normal. I couldn't stay very long; Alice warned me that Dan would be home soon.

I didn't panic like I normally would have, just asked Alice what I was making him for dinner and decided to stay here for as long as I could. Tacos wouldn't take me very long to make, and I could always swing by Taco Bell and pretend like I had cooked them myself if I needed to.

Edward stayed very close to me, treating me like a fragile doll. He was either holding my hand or tracing my cheek bones. He didn't say a word the whole time, until the end.

"We should go," he said. I nodded, knowing if I stayed any longer there would be trouble.

"Would it be alright if I came back tomorrow?" I asked Carlisle before we left.

"Of course Bella, you are always welcome; you're part of the family." I smiled shyly and then Edward raced us back to my place. Thankfully, Dan's car wasn't parked in the driveway. Despite Alice's reassurances, I was still worried. Edward helped me with dinner, cutting and dicing the vegetables quicker than I would have thought possible, while I cooked the meat and began to fry taco shells.

He was still quiet.

"Edward, will you please tell me what's bothering you?" I asked, almost begged. He stopped dicing.

"I don't want to leave you alone, not even for a second. Especially now." My chest tightened. I didn't want to be alone, either.

"You have to," I said. Even though I tried to hide it, there was an underlying tone in my voice. Something went beyond fear.

"I know I do, but—Bella, he could kill you, and if I lose you again, I don't know what—" he stopped talking, obviously pained by the idea. "I will not be leaving the parameters of this house," he said finally. "He won't see me, but I will be here."

**Go ahead, review. Tell me what you liked, what you didnt' like....**


	7. Chapter 7

EPOV

I watched, and I waited, hidden in the trees outside the kitchen window. Minutes after I left the house, Dan was parking on the curb and stomping his way to the front door. Bella pace back and forth in the kitchen nervously, her hands shook with light tremors.

"Honey?" Dan called as he opened the door. I involuntarily clenched my hand at hearing the fake affection in his voice. Bella's pacing stopped and her entire demeanor changed. It went from worried, almost frazzled, to defeat in an instant. I swallowed past a hard lump in my throat and watched as she served his plate, then hers, and ate beside him.

Dan talked mostly about his day, the stress of it all. His thoughts hit me immediately, plowing into me like a sledge hammer. I fought to maintain control, but knowing that he aimed to repeat last nights events made it almost impossible to do so. Soon after, it became apparent to Bella as well. Fear registered across her features momentarily, but she rearranged them and cleared her throat quietly.

"Gosh, I'm tellin' ya," he droned on, "things have been hectic at work preparing for this award ceremony. Charlie's like a robot, he never stops with the planning and the guest lists and the catering."

It suddenly became apparent to me why Bella was here in the first place: Charlie. At the mention of his name, Bella's eyes softened. She was doing this for him. Even as a teenager, she put more energy into caring for Charlie than she did herself.

"This stress is just killing me," he continued. Bella's eyes flickered toward the window; she exhaled slowly and began to clear off the table, maneuvering herself so she wouldn't come into any contact with Dan when picking up his plate. As she rinsed them off in the sink, he came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist.

I choked back a growl and gripped the branch above my head. I cold feel the venom glaze over my eyes and I fought past the blinding rage that was consuming my body. As Dan grabbed Bella's hand and towed her toward the stairs, she shot a glance at me and shook her head quickly, panicking.

For a moment, I was torn. On one hand, I knew that intervening at this moment would most likely make things more difficult. Dan fantasized, imagining Bella's body in the most insensitive of ways, aiming to damage her more than anything else.

Every sound was drilling into my mind, the bedroom door creaking open, the rustle of cotton as Dan as he pulled his shirt off, and then Bella's protests. I couldn't help but sigh in relief. Maybe she could stop it herself.

"Dan, no," she said weakly. Then growing stronger, "Not tonight." He was silent, his heart rate accelerated, and to my horror, it appeared as though he was more excited than angry.

"Excuse me?" he asked.

"I said no," she replied. "Not tonight." His pulse quickened once more.

"And why the hell not? I say what goes and what doesn't in this house. You're my wife, you do what I say." I couldn't breathe. Bella gasped as he threw her against the bed, her breath quickened in fear as he tore her shirt. Through her panicked breathing and hysteria, I heard the one thing I needed: she whispered my name.

My mind raced. I needed to create a distraction, anything to make him stop. I snapped the branch that I was holding in my hand and hurled it through the window, hoping it would be enough to make him stop.

The breaking glass shattered all over the kitchen, the deafening sound echoing off the walls. Dan swore and shoved hard against Bella, but quickly stopped. He bound down the stairs, zipping up his pants in the process. As soon as I knew he wouldn't be returning to her immediately, I sprang onto the roof and ducked into her bedroom window.

BPOV

This wasn't happened. Not now. Not with Edward _right outside_. I fought past the tears and mustered any strength that I could find. I loved Edward, forever and always. I didn't belong to this man. As Dan began to push against me, groping anything he could get his hands on, I ignored the pain and embarrassment that I felt and, for the first time, I said no.

I knew it would make Dan angry, and there was no possibility of him stopping by his own will, but I could only hope it would buy some time. Dan shoved me back, more rough than he had ever been with me, grinding against my body with such a violent intensity, ripping my shirt in the process.

All it took was for me to whisper Edward's name. I didn't know how this episode would end, but I knew he would hear me either way. In seconds, an ear-splitting crash startled the both of us. The panic stopped. I didn't care that a window in the house was broken and I didn't care how he did it.

Through the relief, tears began to wash down my cheeks. I fumbled for a blanket, trying to cover myself, trembling because of the adrenaline. As soon as Dan was gone, I felt Edward's gentle touch on my shoulder.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. "You shouldn't have had to hear that." His face was suddenly inches from mine.

"No, you shouldn't have had to _do_ that. Alice and Esme will help fix it tomorrow. Don't you dare blame yourself. You are the only reason I haven't snapped his neck."

I nodded slowly and hesitantly wrapped my arms around his torso. My body ached, but the pain stopped with his touch. He held me carefully, and briefly at that. "He's coming," he whispered, and then darted out the window.

"Go clean that up," Dan mumbled. "Fuckin' trees."

He collapsed on the bed, apparently over his previous determination. I left the room, intending to spend the night sweeping up broken glass. I laid the blanket out at the foot of the stairs and padded across it to keep my bare feet away from the glass. I knelt down and tried to gather the bigger pieces, but before I made much progress a pair of ice cold hands stopped mine.

"Bella, get some sleep. You're exhausted." Edward's eyes calmed me enough to actually obey. I heaved myself over to the couch, but sat up, staring at him until he got the message.

"Like old times," I whispered. Edward had somehow found a different blanket that didn't have glass engrained into it and tucked it around me. I rested my head in his lap as he sat on the other end of the couch. When the low humming started, I drifted peacefully into sleep. For the first time in years, I felt right, like I was where I belonged.

I didn't dream. At least, I didn't remember dreaming. When I woke up, I wasn't on the couch anymore, but nestled in the guest bedroom. I was startled by the different scenery; I had expected to wake up on the lumpy couch, but I grew more comfortable as I looked around. I had overslept.

Nearly jumping out of the sheets, I tripped my way out the door and hobbled down the stairs. _The window! _ I thought in a hurry. To my surprise, Edward was frying eggs on the stovetop, and the window was replaced, all shards of glass were gone.

"Oh, Edward," I sighed. "You really didn't have to do that," I mumbled, padding across the wooden floor. He turned and smiled at me.

"Nonsense," he disagreed. "I broke it in the first place. It's only fair for me to fix it. How does breakfast sound?"

"It sounds great, thank you." It was almost ten o'clock. Thankfully, Angela was expecting me to be unavailable. In seconds, Edward had placed a plate of eggs and toast in front of me and took a seat across from mine. He stared at me, waiting patiently. I felt a hot blush creep across my cheekbones, something I thought I was immune to.

His eyes flashed momentarily.

"What is it?" I asked, swallowing my food loudly.

"It's been so long since I've seen that blush. I'm still fascinated by it," he explained. I snorted and took another bite of my eggs. I ate quickly, and then decided I would get dressed. Edward followed me, but stopped politely in the hallway and waited .

I was relieved. I knew how he would react to seeing my body. It still surprised me, even. There was a fresh splotch across my hipbone, a memory of last night. I quickly pulled on a clean pair of jeans and yet another long sleeved t-shirt. My hair wasn't a complete mess, so I just left it down. If I dressed up any more than I normally did, Dan was bound to notice.

"Can we go back to your house?" I asked as soon as I opened the door. He seemed surprised.

"If you would like that, yes," he said. I smiled and walked toward the stairs. Without warning, Edward swept me up into his arms and carried me down the stairs. "Alice warned me to take precautions today," he explained.

When he set me down, I immediately grabbed my keys and purse and threw on a jacket, moving as quickly as possible. "Okay, I'm ready," I huffed.

"Are we in a hurry?" Edward laughed quietly to himself.

"Yes, we're in a hurry," I said. "We're making up for lost time." He obliged and followed me out to his car. I rushed to put my seatbelt on, jamming it into the lock.

"Bella, calm down, they aren't going anywhere." I shot Edward a look and he turned the key in the ignition and sped toward his home.

"I don't expect you to understand this, Edward, but I would like to spend as much time as possible out of my house right now. Nothing good has happened in the place at all," I said hoarsely. "Well, maybe a few things have, but that place is my hell. I don't want to be there if I don't have to." I felt Edward's eyes on me.

"A few things?" he asked.

"Last night was one," I answered. He made a small choking sound.

"_That _was a good thing? Being violated by your….husband….and having the side of your house ripped out?" I turned to look at him; his eyes were glistening, burning with anger.

"No," I said weakly. "Falling asleep with you was a good thing." His features softened and I looked out at my window. He didn't speak until we pulled up in the driveway.

I stepped out of the car and stared at the front door of the house. This should have been my home, I should have married Edward and lived happily ever after. It wasn't until I felt Edward's arms around me that I realized that hadn't moved or even blinked. I was simply thinking.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I shouldn't have said those things." I cleared my throat.

"No, don't apologize. You couldn't have known." At that moment, Alice burst through the front door and flitted down the front steps.

"Are you two going to stand out there all day? Do you have any idea of how long I've been waiting?" She shoved Edward out of the way and threw her arms around me. "We have a serious makeover to tackle today," she said, towing me up the front stairs.

"Why?" I asked. "I don't need to be dolled up right now, do I?"

"Alice," Edward warned. She hissed at him and turned to me.

"Yes, you do," she said. "You have the banquet tomorrow night, and we've got to do something about the circles under your eyes." Years ago, I would have protested and fought relentlessly with her. Now, I was grateful to simply be in her presence. She could do whatever she wanted.

We walked into the living room and I was greeted Esme. Emmett was watching a football game, but he cheered and waved excitedly when he saw me. I grinned back at him and shrugged my jacket off. Edward took it from me and hung it on a coat rack.

Carlisle came into the room and I felt Edward immediately tense next to me. "Good morning, Bella," he greeted.

"Good morning," I returned. Edward had his hand on my elbow now, and I didn't miss the look exchanged between him and his father. Something was going on. Carlisle turned back to me.

"If it's not too much to ask, I would like to discuss a few things with you." Everyone in the room was suddenly gravely serious. Even Alice, who was fidgeting with excitement moments ago.

"A-alright, it's no problem." And suddenly, they all cleared out of the room. Esme hurried into the kitchen, Alice pulled Emmett up the stairs.

"It might be easier if we spoke in my office," Carlisle suggested, trailing off. Edward and I followed behind as he walked briskly toward his study. Before going in, Carlisle cleared his throat and turned to us. "Edward, this might be easier if you weren't in the room." Edward's jaw clenched.

"No, I don't mind," I lied. Dread was seeping through my entire body. I knew what Carlisle wanted to speak to me about, and I knew that Edward would hear every word of our conversation whether he was in the room or not. On top of Carlisle's desk was a thick manila envelope, marked by a bright orange tag with my name printed across it. I could only guess that it was my medical file.

I sighed and sank into one of the cushioned seats in front of his desk and stared across at Carlisle. Edward lowered himself into the chair next to me; he hadn't relaxed in the slightest.

"Bella, speaking as a medical professional and someone who cares very much for you, I cannot express how worried I am about you," Carlisle started. "Looking through your medical file…there's been so much _damage_. I hardly understand how someone hasn't caught on yet. Truth be told, you've had your fair share of accidents, but this many injuries is outrageous, even for you."

My voice was hard to find; I couldn't speak.

"I would like to look a few things over," he continued. "And if you would allow it, I would like to go over a brief examination with you. If there's anything that can be treated, we need to start right away. Bella, your health is at serious risk." He looked at me with the concerned eyes of a father.

I exhaled slowly. "Where?" I asked.

"If you give me a few moments to gather some equipment, we could find an empty room. I'm sure it won't take long, I just need an overview of things." I nodded once and watched as he exited the room. Edward was staring blankly out the window.

"Edward?" I asked. He turned to me and grabbed my hand. He looked broken, yet again. "What is it?" I asked, stupidly.

"It's nothing. Let's go find Carlisle, I'm sure he's ready by now." He led me down the hallway and rapped on a door before pulling me inside the room. Carlisle had set up a makeshift examination table in the middle of the room.

"I-is this really necessary?" I asked. "Really, you didn't have to set all of this up." Carlisle gestured toward the table.

"Please, have a seat. I'm nothing if not thorough." Then he looked behind me. "Edward," he said, though it sounded more like a queue. Edward's mouth was a grim line.

"I would prefer to stay," he said through his teeth. He stayed in the back corner of the room and kept his eyes on me. Carlisle went through the usual process of a normal check-up, taking my blood pressure, listening to my hammering heartbeat, checking my reflexes. Then the situation took a dive.

"Bella, I'm going to need you to lift up your shirt," Carlisle said. "It's just so I can check for signs of internal bleeding," he explained. With trembling fingers, I lifted the hem of my shirt, terrified to meet Edward's eyes. But the higher I lifted my shirt, the harder it got to look away. Then I heard a low growl emanate from across the room.

"I'm sorry," I whispered. I couldn't tell if Edward was going to gag or break something. Even Carlisle reacted. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. My skin was an unnatural shade of bluish purple, with an occasional yellow splotch. I could only hope that they wouldn't run away from me screaming.

"Edward, I suggest you leave. Now." Carlisle said curtly. Edward was gone in seconds, leaving me feeling helpless and at fault. Carlisle rested his hand on my shoulder.

"He's angry with me," I muttered.

"No. He's angry, but not with you. He's angry with himself. We're all angry with ourselves." He walked across the room and wheeled over a large machine I hadn't noticed before. "This will help me get a clearer picture of things. I'm certain there is bleeding, but nothing massive. Your body heals itself quickly." I then realized he was using an ultrasound machine.

The last time anyone had ever used this type of machine on me, I was incredibly happy. The memory sent pins and needles down my spine. I kept my eyes closed while he read the monitor, assessing the damage. When I felt him wiping the gel off my stomach and sides, I slowly opened my eyes again and tugged my shirt down self-consciously.

"I'm going to give you an injection to serve as a volume expander. It will help replace the fluids that your body has lost recently. I will administer them myself regularly. Is that okay with you?" he asked.

"Sure," I mumbled, staring at the floor. Carlisle slowly lifted my chin with his index finger.

"Listen to me," he said. "It will be okay." I sucked in a slow breath.

"Thank you, Carlisle."

Edward was waiting outside the front door with a pained expression on his face. My throat hitched closed when his stare met mine. After seeing the anger in his eyes, I couldn't keep my eyes from filling, or my voice from trembling.

"I hoped you wouldn't have to see…Edward I'm sorry." He shook his head and wiped a solitary tear off my cheek.

"No," he murmured. "It's not you who should be sorry, Bella. It is I who should be standing where you are, apologizing. Look what I've allowed to happen to you. I promised the both of us that you'd be safer with me gone."

"You can't blame yourself for this," I said stubbornly. "You didn't do this." _It's my fault_, I thought in the back of my mind. If I said that aloud, however, it would have set him off, make him lose control. I could see how hard he was trying right now; my chest tightened uneasily. I felt someone's tiny, cool hand grip mine.

Alice was suddenly standing next to us with dark, brooding eyes. Her expression was gentle, but like Edward, her actions and movements gave way to her true feelings. She pulled gently on my hand and led me back down the stairs to a more comfortable environment and encouraged me to sit on the couch.

"Bella, look what he's done to you," Alice murmured. She didn't need to be in the room to have seen why I looked like. "You're…broken."

"I know, Alice. I don't know how to fix this." There was an awkward pause before Alice shifted her weight and turned to face me, and Edward placed his arm lightly around my shoulders.

"There's no _fixing_ the situation, Bella. You need to leave him."

* * *

Without a doubt, this chapter is FULL of typos, but...at least I updated! Happy new year!


	8. Chapter 8

BPOV

"I can't just leave him," I shook out. The thought terrified me, yet kindled a fierce flame of hope in my heart. My body trembled and I squeezed my eyes shut. "It would never work." Edward's arm anchored me to the couch, but I struggled to get up anyway. "I need some air," I wheezed. It was just starting to rain when I stepped out onto the porch. It was set, but sank down onto the front steps and rested against the raining.

Moments later, I heard something break inside the house. I chewed my lip nervously and waited to hear the front door open. As expected, it swung open seconds later and Alice joined me on my wet porch step.

"Bella," she said quietly, "I know you're afraid."

"What about Charlie?" I asked. "What would happen to him if I left? And Ian? I'm his nanny. I can't leave him. Angela and Ben can't afford child care right now, I'm all they have."

"Leaving Dan doesn't mean leaving everything you have here behind. It means saving your life," Alice argued. She was just as stubborn as I remembered. "And you know that Charlie would be okay with you leaving if he knew what was really going on. At least tell him the truth, Bella."

"The truth would kill him. I swear, Charlie would have a heart attack, or a stroke, and it would be my fault." Panic bubbled up in my chest again. Alice growled next to me. I had obviously frustrated her.

"If you stay for much longer he's going to kill you. Don't you understand that? I've seen it so many times now, and all of them happen because you stayed just long enough for him to get angry." There was a long, painful silence. I heard her draw in a shaky breath next to me, unusual for any of the Cullens. Her voice sounded almost as broken as mine did. "I keep seeing it happen differently, but one way or another, it does. The only way it won't is if you leave Dan before it's too late. I can't stop it from happening."

"I know," I whispered. I rested my head against Alice's shoulder and closed my eyes, exhausted. "I just need a few days. At least let me wait until the banquet, Charlie's been preparing it for months now. Do I have that long?" I asked.

"I honestly don't know, but I don't think anything would happen between then and now. Let's just pray that I'm not wrong." The wind had picked up slightly, blowing raindrops into my now damp hair.

"He's inside, pacing the front door," she said half-heartedly. "I hope you know how sorry we all are," she said, reaching up to stroke my head.

"Alice?" I asked, tentatively. She made a small sound of acknowledgement and ran her fingers through my wet hair. She was mothering me, trying to comfort me. "If I left Dan, would Edward and I be together? I mean, does he really want to be with me?"

"Of course he does. Edward loves you more than anything else on this earth. You're more to him than his own life, and that's how it's always been." She sighed and looked at me. "You two are meant to be together."

"I need you guys to help me leave. I can't do it alone. I can't get divorce papers, either. Word would get back to Dan, I know it. I…I just need help." Alice rubbed soothing circles on my back until my breathing calmed down.

"You know we will always protect you, Bella," Alice murmured. I knew it was true. After an awkward pause, I sniffed and tried desperately to clear my head.

"How about that makeover?" I asked. She squeaked happily and dashed into the house. I couldn't help but laugh at her eagerness. It was adorable, like a small child who gets to stay up past their bed time.

I pushed the front door open hesitantly, expecting to see Edward waiting. I found him in the living room with his head in his hands. He wasn't moving, which usually was a bad sign. I gently placed my shaking hand on his knee and hoped it would elicit some response from him. Thankfully, it did. He placed his cool, God-crafted hand on top of mine and slowly looked up at me.

His eyes were pleading. I knew what he was going to ask me, and I knew he'd heard my conversation with Alice.

"Yes, Edward. I'll do it. I just need…I need a plan, or something that won't get anyone hurt." His eyes narrowed.

"Bella, you're the only one who's getting hurt here," he argued. I sighed. Defeated, I shifted my body and rested against him. I focused on the sound of his breathing and felt myself beginning to fall asleep. Physically and emotionally, I was exhausted. Just before I dozed off, a piercing shriek echoed through the house.

"ISABELLA SWAN! IT'S BEEN TEN MINUTES! I'M WAITING!" I jumped slightly and laughed nervously. Edward smirked and raised his hands helplessly.

"She's unstoppable with a hairbrush," he reasoned. I glared at him and got up to go upstairs. Alice immediately ushered me into her insanely large bathroom. I shuddered when I walked in and saw that it looked exactly the same as it had the last time I was there. The only thing different, really, was me.

Alice was unusually gentle with me, even though she practically landscaped my eyebrows and plumped my hair back to life. She attacked my cuticles and lathered them with softeners and lotions. I sat there for two hours and let her go to town. She was blow drying my hair when she stopped suddenly and closed her eyes.

"He's coming home early. You've gotta leave. Now." Edward was in the room in seconds, immediately scooping me up and racing out to the car. I didn't even have time to say bye to anyone.

We made it home moments before Dan did, as was becoming our regular routine; stay away from home as long as possible. When I ran into the kitchen, picking my brain for something to throw together for dinner, I was startled to see Esme already chopping up vegetables and preparing some chicken on a cutting board.

"Oh, Esme," I gasped. "Thank you so much, I was going to be in so much trouble…" I blew out in one breath.

"It's no problem, dear," she smiled. "He's just pulled into the driveway. I'll be leaving now," she said and darted for the window. I stared, wide eyed at the open frame and shook my head quickly. Apparently, vampires liked unconventional entrances and exits in one's home.

Dan wasn't in a very good mood. He ate Esme's meal and grabbed a six pack out of the fridge, parking himself in front of the TV. A basketball game was on. Thank God.

After I cleaned up the kitchen, I silently went upstairs and crept into the guest bedroom. He didn't notice. Once I closed the door behind me, I struggled to keep from hyperventilating, suddenly breathless. Tomorrow was the banquet. Charlie would get his award, and then everything would change. I might leave Forks, maybe start a new life with a different name. Maybe Edward would decide to turn me into a true member of the family? I shot down all of those possibilities with a sour curtain of doubt that seemed to live permanently in my mind. I honestly believed I wouldn't make it. I couldn't do it.

I heard the window click open. I looked up just in time to see Edward land silently on the floor. "He's passed out on the couch, drunk," he said quietly. I found that oddly amusing and stifled a laugh. He eyed me curiously.

"What's funny?" he asked.

"He's such a piece of trash. I kind of think it's funny…" I mumbled, trying to keep the volume to a minimum. His eyes softened and he sat next to me on the bed.

"You look exhausted," he said absentmindedly. "Sleep." It was more a demand than a request. Giving in, I shuffled over to the dresser where I kept the majority of my clothes and pulled out some pajamas.

"I'll be back," I whispered and darted into the bathroom to change. I pulled on an oversized t-shirt and some sweats – nothing new. Oddly enough, Edward grinned when he saw me and opened his arms wide. I fell into them and he cradled me.

"You still haven't gotten rid of those damn sweats," he muttered humorously. I nudged him playfully and crawled up the bed to rest on the pillows and pull myself under the blankets. He was by my side in less than a second, and I tossed my pillow to the side and replaced it with him. I sighed comfortably.

"I wouldn't get too comfortable," he said. My eyebrows furrowed.

"Why not?" I asked, confused.

"He's going to wake up sooner or later, and I'll have to leave in case he comes looking for you. I would hate to move and wake up." I nearly growled.

"I don't care. Wake me up then. I'm sleeping like this." Then I planted my cheek firmly against his chest and closed my eyes stubbornly. He chuckled once and rested his palm on my head.

"I love you, Bella," he said just before I fell into a deep slumber.

"I love you," I slurred and tried to grip him tighter. Then I fell into a darkness of comfort and pure bliss.

* * *

AN: Surprise! I'm sure everyone hates me because I hardly ever update. Like, HARDLY EVER, but I'm trying to change that. I absolutely love writing, especially fanfics that are Twilight related, but being an AP student in high school takes up a lot of time. My free time is spent working and sleeping. But...I'm coming up with some new ideas for stories, so hopefully everything will work out. Anywho, read and review if you want. The reviews really help me - they make me want to write more. So the more reviews, the better it is for you guys cuz I get chapters out faster. And I do read all of the PMs and reviews you guys send me, I'm trying to get better at responding to them...I used to be pretty good at it. Hope everyone's doing well!


	9. Chapter 9

BPOV

Waking up felt different this morning. While there was an undeniable, clenching fear in my stomach, I felt something new. I felt _hopeful_. The first thing I looked for was Edward. My eyes desperately searched the room, finding nothing. I slowly slid out of bed and tiptoed out to the hallway. Just as soon as I took a step toward his bedroom, Dan opened the door, dressed in his uniform.

"Oh, you're up," I commented. "Good morning." He nodded and stared at me.

"The ceremony's tonight. Make yourself decent, for God's sake. I don't want people to see my wife looking like shit." With that being said, he stomped down the hallway, down the stairs and out the door. Thankfully, Dan wasn't much of a breakfast person. He usually ate a doughnut at the station. As soon as I heard his car leave the driveway, I let out a sigh of relief. My heart was pounding uncomfortably.

I carefully walked down stairs. My stomach ached with each step, protesting any form of movement. "Edward?" I called out. There was no reply. I sighed, disappointed, and shuffled into the kitchen. I knew he would be wanting me to eat some breakfast, so I slowly chopped up an apple and an orange. If I ate too much, I got the distinct feeling that I would be throwing up. As I took a noisy bite of my apple slice, there was a short knock on the door.

I walked over to the door and peered through the eye hole. Edward was waiting patiently on the other side. I sighed and smiled, pulling the door open.

"You didn't have to knock, you know," I said. His eyes smiled at me and he pulled me into his cool embrace. After I finally dragged the both of us indoors, it became evident that we had some important topics to discuss. We both sat down in the living room.

"What am I going to do after tonight?" I asked, obviously scared. "Should I leave after the aware ceremony? Should I wait a few days? And I don't even have divorce papers…not that he would sign them. He'd probably shoot me."

Edward winced when I said. "You should calm down, all this thinking can't be good for your heart," he said weakly. "Or mine," he muttered.

I sat quietly and concentrated on breathing. Lately, I felt like I had to teach myself how to breathe again, like I had been doing it wrong for the past three years. My thoughts began to formulate clearly. I knew what I had to do.

"I'm leaving tonight. After the ceremony," I finally told him. "Can we do that?"

He seemed to be processing my words. "Of course we can, Bella. But are you sure you'll be okay with that? You won' t be able to bring Charlie with us," he reminded me.

"I know, Edward. I can't stay here with him forever. I need to take care of myself." Even though I was terrified while I said those words, I knew they were true. I couldn't keep myself trapped in this prison. I couldn't be happy, or healthy, here.

"I hope you aren't doing this just for me," he admonished. After a long pause,

"No, I'm doing this for me. I'm doing this for _us_, because I cannot live without you again. I _won't_." In seconds, he looked furious.

"Are you implying—" he started to say something, but I cut him off.

"I need to start packing my things. Would you like to help me?" I asked, trying to clear the air. He still looked angry.

"Don't think I'm letting that go. Don't you dare ever think like that," he threatened. I sighed and stood up from the couch.

"I'll be upstairs if you want to help," I said and I walked away. I was a little bit upset with him for being angry about what I said. How could he expect me to go back to the way things used to be if he left again? Did he honestly think I could live through that again?

At the top of the stairs, I dug through the hall closet and pulled out my giant duffel bag. I literally dumped all of my dresser drawers out onto the guest bed and began to fold and sort through them. I didn't notice when Edward walked into the room, resting on the doorframe. I did, however, feel his presence after a moment of two. I looked up with a half-folded shirt in my hands. His stoic expression hadn't lightened up at all.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked, childishly. He didn't answer, so I went back to folding my clothes and shoving them to the bottom of the bag. Then I heard him sigh.

"No, I could never be 'mad' at you. I'm angry with myself, and that is something I don't think you will ever be able to understand," he finally answered. But it was something I understood, and it was something that I completely disagreed with. Traitor tears blinded my vision. Edward closed the distance between us in two long strides and pulled me into his arms, kissing my forehead lightly.

Something came over me at that moment, and I couldn't stop myself from bringing my lips to his. It seemed as though we were both hanging by a thread and maybe I was trying to drown out the sorrow I suddenly felt…it worked. I was desperate for him. He deepened the kiss, cradling my face gently, but I pressed myself against him with all the force I could muster in my body.

Pulling away suddenly, he gasped, "I've been waiting three years for that." Then he kissed me more fervently, raining small kisses down the side of my neck and pulling me closer to him. I don't quite remember who it was that pulled us on top of the bed, but the next thing I knew, I was nestled comfortably underneath his body on the pillows, and my duffel bag and clothes had been shoved to the ground. He held himself up with one arm and the other was wrapped around my waist, holding me against him. Though I tried, I couldn't control my breathing. Never had I felt this was in my entire life. When he kissed me again, it was different. Not desperate, as it was just moments ago, but _passionate_ and wholesome.

When I heard his breathing falter, like he, too, was struggling to control himself, I thought we may be taking this further than we had ever gone before. I felt his cool hand against the skin on my back, and my shirt was slowly being lifted to reveal my stomach. That was when Edward stopped kissing me and stared down at my skin.

"We can't," he gasped. "I can't do this." I struggled to sit up, staring at his broken facial expression. I brought my hand up to his cheek.

"Do you not want to?" I asked, unsure of his reaction. Sure, I was married. I didn't care. I loved Edward with every fiber of my being.

"No," he shook out. "Trust me, I want to. I'm struggling to keep myself from going any further. Bella, I'll hurt you. You're too…fragile." After he said that, I almost growled and pulled his shirt towards me.

"Don't start with that human crap," I breathed.

"I'm not. To be honest, I don't think your body can take it right now. And I don't know if I would be able to control myself enough. I'd hurt you." He pried my fingers off of his shirt and laid down next to me, breathing almost heavily as I was.

"You're right," I mumbled. I sat up, frustrated, then embarrassed. He rubbed my back soothingly.

"Please, don't misunderstand," he begged. I smiled at him, trying to be reassuring.

"I understand, Edward. Really. I need to finish packing quickly. Dan expects me to look decent tonight."

I fumbled with the clothes on the ground and tried to fold them neatly. Edward beat me to it and had most of them folded before I had finished a t-shirt. I piled them in the duffel bag and then went to the bathroom to gather anything I thought I might need. It took me all of fifteen minutes to finish packing. Then I looked at myself in the mirror.

"Edward, I think we need to call Alice," I said, unenthusiastically.

"Why?" he asked, clearly confused.

"Because _this_", I said, holding up my hair, "Is not decent. I need help getting ready." He sighed and pulled his phone out of his pocket. In the two seconds that he was on the phone, I walked into Dan's bedroom and looked through the closet, knowing I had a couple of dresses in there. A black one, a greenish one, a red one, a cream colored one. All of them weren't something I would be comfortable wearing. They all showed too much skin.

Alice was digging around in my bathroom by the time I got back into the room. "Bella, we don't have much time," she called. I was dreading whatever she had planned for me, but I knew it had to be done. In the bathroom, she had a curling iron plugged in and several different hair products and types of makeup were lined on the counter.

"Shower," she demanded, handing me the shower supplies that I had just packed away. "I still have to gather a few more things." I obliged and jumped into the shower, quickly scrubbing my body and lathering my hair. My legs were adorned with a thin layer of fur. I ran my razor over them, careful not to nick the skin. Once I finished, I wrapped myself in a towel and stepped out from behind the curtain. Alice was waiting, tapping her foot impatiently.

"Sit," she pointed a chair that she had somehow squeezed into the small space.

"I'm not dressed," I complained.

"There's no time. Sit." Then she went to work on my hair, blow drying it and fashioning my dense mass of pure mess into a thick curls. After, she pulled out a number of number of different creams and lotions. She began to apply different ones to my face, then applying different powders. I felt her sweep other products over my eyelids and lashes, then gently outlining my lips with a pencil of some sort.

After almost two hours, she stepped back and sighed. "I think that's as good as we can get it with the time we have," she said. I looked up at myself in the mirror and was shocked. I looked like a completely different person. I looked like a healthy, well rested, and beautiful person.

"Thank you, Alice," I breathed. I stood up shakily and walked out of the bathroom. Upon entering the guest bedroom, I stopped suddenly and stared at the gown that was draped over the bed.

"Do you like it?" she asked behind me. I walked over and lifted it off the bed. The dress was a deep blue, and long sleeved. It sinched at the waisted and gently flowed out. The neck line wasn't too low, either. I spun around and gave her a hug.

"Oh, you didn't have to do this," I whispered. She scoffed.

"Yes, I did. The dresses you have would so not do for tonight. Now, let me help you get dressed." Embarrassing as it was, she even presented me with the proper undergarments for such an outfit. I stepped into the dress, fitting it around my shoulder and she zipped it up. I felt beautiful for the first time in several years. She zipped up the dress in the back and magically produced a pair of matching heels. I eyed them cautiously.

"Don't worry," she sighed. "You aren't going to fall." After I slipped them on, I looked once more in the mirror. The dress hugged my sides and waist tightly and then flowed out around my legs. I was amazed, not a single bruise was visible. Edward was in the room again when I stepped out of the bathroom. He gaped at me, clearly surprised by my appearance.

"Do I look decent?" I asked. He rolled his eyes.

"You look ravishing, and I don't think it's fair that I don't get to spend the evening with you." He placed a kiss on my forehead and suddenly tensed.

"He's on his way now," Alice said.

"I know," Edward said through his teeth. "I can hear him." Then he looked at me again. "We'll follow behind you to the ceremony. I'll bring your bags in my car. We'll be watching for anything that may go wrong." And then they left. My nerves started to come back again. No more than two minutes later, the front door opened and I heard Dan walk into the house.

"Honey?" he called out. I took a deep breath and put my happy face on.

"I'm up here," I replied. "I'm just finishing up getting ready." I hurried out into the hall and carefully walked down the stairs in the heels. He stopped what he was doing and stared at me, gawking. He rushed forward to maul my face with his mouth; I gagged.

"You need to get ready," I joked, trying to be flirty, but most likely failing miserably. "We're going to be late." It was 6:30 and the ceremony started in an hour. Dan hurried up the stairs to jump in the shower. While he was busy getting ready, I grabbed the phone and dialed Angela's number. She needed to know about my leaving, she was dependent on me.

Ben answered after the first few rings. As I was in a hurry, I quickly asked for Angela and Ben gave her the phone. I quietly stepped outside.

"Angela," I said in a low voice. "I'm leaving him." She was silent on the other end for a second.

"I'm so glad to hear that," she finally said. "When?"

"Tonight. I'm so sorry, I don't want to leave you and Ian, but –"

"No, Bella, don't be sorry. You need to do this. Just promise me you'll stay in touch, maybe come and visit."

"Of course I will. I couldn't leave you guys behind." I said goodbye quickly and hurried back inside the house to put the phone back on the charger. Dan was still in the shower. He came down stairs fifteen minutes later, struggling with the bow tie on his tux.

"Babe? Would you help me with this?" he asked. I reached forward and tied the fabric around his neck into a nice bow and smiled at him. When we were leaving, I felt Dan grab my back side. Inside, I was screaming, but on the outside, I smiled and faked a giggle.

The drive to the banquet hall was long and painful. Dan tried to engage me in seductive conversation, I played right into it. When we pulled into the parking lot, he was in hurry to get inside. I lied and told him I had to fix my hair, telling him to go inside without me. As soon as he disappeared inside, Edward came out of nowhere and pulled me safely aside. He could see the fear on my face and swept me up in a comforting hug.

"Edward, if this goes wrong," I started to say. He broke my words off with a deep kiss and left me dizzy.

"Noting will go wrong. Just remember that I love you and everything will be okay."

With that, I turned around and walked into the building with a fake smile plastered on my face and pretended to be the perfect wife to the perfect man, counting down the minutes until I could break free.

**AN: So, what did you guys think? I need feedback! How'd you like the Edward and Bella action? **

**Also, I just started another story that's not getting very many reviews. It's really bugging me because there's been PLENTY of hits on it. Would anyone care to read it and let me know what I'm doing wrong? I'd really appreciate it. You don't even have to review if you don't want to, just PM me or something. It's called "A Freight Train Running Through my Head" and you can find it on my profile. **

**Anywho, hoped you enjoyed the chapter (:**


	10. Chapter 10

**Just a forewarning, there's some not so nice swearing in this chapter.**

BPOV

It's strange how quickly I felt disconnected from the people around me. I wasn't so bothered by the idea of leaving Fork's behind anymore. Charlie would make it just fine without me. At least, that's what I tried to tell myself. Dan was standing on stage with a microphone in his hand, give a speech to commemorate my father. I might have actually enjoyed it if someone else were sharing their "words of wisdom".

"I haven't been with the squad for a very long time, certainly not for as long as my buddy here, but I can say with certainty that we'd be an absolute mess without him. I've never met a more dedicated and experienced cop in my entire career, and apparently the rest of Washington agrees with me. It is my pleasure to present Charlie Swan with this prestigious award of outstanding merit and generosity." Dan smiled, playing the perfect guy role. Charlie walked onto stage, looking embarrassed with his pink cheeks.

Before he spoke into the microphone, he winked at me. I smiled back at him, fondly. Small tremors radiated through my chest. This could very well be the last time I would ever see my father. During his speech of acceptance, I tried to revive every pleasant memory I'd ever had with him. I tried to force myself to remember all of them, tried to make them so visible in my mind. I hadn't even noticed what he was saying, I was memorizing his face one last time. When he stepped down from the stage, the guests were invited to eat dinner.

As I had expected, the elegant meal really only consisted of buffet line and a mini bar. I got in line for food and put things on my plate that I had no intention of eating. Dan was in line in front of me, already making way toward the mini-bar. I sighed and hoped that maybe he wouldn't get drunk tonight. Not in front of his coworkers. Not in front of Charlie.

At our table, which was situated in the middle of the room, far away from the door, was filled with other police officers that I didn't know very well. They tried to make small talk—I didn't really feel like talking. Dan filled in all of the awkward silences with every new drink he had. It didn't take long for him to be completely wasted. Other officers gradually left to go home. Even Charlie left before we did.

"Well, I'm gonna go hit the sack," Charlie has said before leaving. I stood up to give him a hug.

"Congratulations, Dad," I said, before pulling him into an extremely constricting hug.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Bells," he said, pulling away from me. That stung. He wouldn't be seeing me tomorrow.

"I love you," was all I could manage to say. He smiled before walking toward the door.

"Love you, too." And then he was gone.

Dan fiddled around, drunk off his ass, for a few more minutes before deciding we should go home. He stood up from the table and pulled on my arm. Not wanting to make a scene, I allowed him to tow me out the door. As soon as we were outside of the building, I demanded the keys.

"You're drunk. You are not driving tonight." For the first time, I wasn't afraid of him. He squinted at me.

"Shut up," he slurred. "Get your ass in the car." Then he stumbled toward the vehicle. I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to stop him.

"Give. Me. The keys." My teeth were gritted and I silently willed myself not to blink.

"Shut the fuck up. Stop being a bitch and get in the goddamn car." I didn't know whether to laugh or cower. On one hand, he looked like he was going to hit me, but on the other, he sounded so _stupid_. He ripped his shoulder out of my grasp and pushed me into the side of the car, pulling open the passenger vehicle and practically throwing me inside. He tripped his way over to the driver's side a groped his way inside. When he started the car, the first thing he did was drive into a parking lot divider on the ground. I started to panic as we drove out the lot.

Where was Edward?

I never thought I would see the day when a cop went out driving drunk, but there's a first time for everything. Dan blew the first red light. There wasn't anyone around to see it, unfortunately. Then he proceeded to drive like an idiot and turned on the radio, speeding the entire way home. He swerved the car and slammed on the breaks for no apparent reason, constantly.

"Dan, please pull over. You're going to get into an accident," I begged. In response, he sped up and looked over at me, not paying attention to where we were driving.

"You need to shut your mouth," he grumbled. I stared, mesmerized by what was steadily approaching us. Dan had completely driven off the road and was speeding toward an enormous tree. He was still looking at me, spouting off about how disrespectful I was. I ignored him and thought about jumping out of the vehicle. I would probably have a better chance of surviving if I did.

By the time I had made up my mind to actually do it, it was too late. I felt the impact of the collision, the force from the deployed air bags and the glass that shattered all over my body. Then, everything went black.

* * *

"Edward!" A small, child-like voice echoed in the back of my head. It hurt. "She's bleeding!" I willed my eyelids to pull themselves open, but they refused. "Bella?" the child-like voice called. "Can you hear me?" I heard the grinding sound of metal colliding with another object, a harsh groaning sound.

"Bella?" A male voice. A beautiful voice. "Bella, please, open your eyes." The voice sounded strained. "Alice, get Carlisle," the voice demanded. I felt a cold pressure on my temple. I fought harder to open my eyes, harder to see what was in front of me. I felt my eyelashes flutter and brief glimpses of light stung my eyes. "Please, open your eyes."

Finally, I was able to pull them open. In front of me, Edward, looking desperate, had been molding an opening in the mangled car around my body so he could pull me out. "Oh, thank God," he breathed. I could smell that blood that soaked through my dress. How was he standing this?

"Edward, the blood," I mumbled, trying to keep myself from falling asleep. It suddenly got very cold.

"I don't care. We're getting you out of here," he said determinedly. I heard more voices in the background. Alice had come back with Carlisle. She left shortly after that, probably running from the blood.

"Edward, don't move her yet," Carlisle ordered. "Her neck may be injured." He came into my view and offered a sad smile. "Bella, can you hear me?" he asked.

"It's cold," I said, shivering. "I'm really cold."

"I know, dear. Can you move your fingers?" he asked. I tried to move my hand, but it was pinned caught between the dismantled seat and the bent door.

"It's stuck," I said.

"Can you wiggle your fingers?" I wiggled them.

"Yeah, I can," I slurred.

"And your toes? Can you feel them?" He was rushing me now. I didn't like it.

"Yes," I griped, struggling to keep my eyes open now. Then I felt numbingly cold, yet comforting arms slip underneath me and lift me carefully out of the mangled seat. I pressed my face against Edward's chest, trembling.

"Edward, I need to get the glass out," Carlisle started to say.

"I know. Not here." He carried me over to the Volvo, which I hadn't even heard come up and laid me down in the back seat.

"I'll destroy your seats, Edward," I mumbled. Edward shook his head.

"Nonsense. Bella, I need you to stay awake. Don't go to sleep, do you understand?" he asked. I mumbled about understanding and felt his lift my legs so he could sit in the seat next to me. He draped my legs over his knees and instructed Carlisle to drive.

"You need to apply pressure, Edward," Carlisle reminded him. "Try not to touch any of the glass." I felt a burning, searing pain in my abdomen as Edward pressed his freezing cold hands against it. I whimpered and tried not to scream.

"Shh, it's okay," Edward tried to comfort me. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I should have gotten there sooner." I couldn't muster the energy to come up with a reply. Edward pressed harder against my stomach. "Stay awake," he reminded me. I struggled, but managed to keep my eyes open until Carlisle raced into the driveway to their home.

Everything seemed to happen in a blur. I was being pulled out of the car, Carlisle was laying my out on a table, giving me anesthetics. I don't remember feeling any pain after that. All I remember is going to sleep.

* * *

When I woke up, I certainly wasn't at the Cullen's house. I was in a completely unfamiliar room, lying in a completely unfamiliar bed. The only familiar thing in the room was Edward, who was sitting anxiously in a chair next to the bed. I sat up and gasped in pain.

"Bella?" he asked. "What is it?" Then I looked down and saw several cuts along my arms. The real pain was coming from my side. I pulled the blankets off of me and hitched up my shirt. A huge white bandage covered almost my entire left side, and smaller sections across my stomach were stitched up.

"What happened?" I asked. My memory was still foggy. Edward suddenly looked uncomfortable.

"You were in a car accident…" he trailed off. I suddenly remembered everything and shivered.

"Oh," I said, quietly. "Where are we?"

"We're in Oregon." He looked upset. I sat up further, working past the biting pain.

"Edward, what's wrong?" He looked up at me with pure anguish brooding in his eyes.

"If I had gotten there three seconds before, none of this would have happened. Everything I do ends up with you hurt."

I sighed and shifted my weight so I faced him. "Don't even start with the self-loathing gimmick. I don't think last night could have been prevented. And it's a good thing, in a way," I stated. Edward looked appalled.

"How the hell is any of this good?" He growled at me, looking furious.

"Someone had to have found Dan, and that someone would have recognized that he was drunk. He'll lose his license and most likely get fired. I'll heal quickly. Dan can't ever take back what he's done."

**AN: So, what do you think is gonna happen next? I'll go more into detail about Bella's injuries and whatnot in the next chapter. You have to take into consideration the fact that Bella was pretty incoherent from loss of blood, so this chapter, as it is being told from her point of view, is pretty confusing. **

**I thought it would share something completely random with you guys. I love coming home to a perfectly made bed with my pillows fixed and everything. I hate the fact that I'm too lazy to make my bed every morning. **

**How about telling me something you love and hate at the same time? As always, review and let me know what you think. Much love! **


	11. Chapter 11

BPOV

After sleeping for several hours, I woke up with something nagging in the back of my mind. I looked down at my battered body and felt the outline of the ungodly sized bandage on my abdomen.

"Edward?" I asked, quietly. He eyed me cautiously.

"Yes?"

Even though I promised myself I would stay composed, I had a hard time saying what I was trying to say.

"Why didn't you change me when the accident happened?" After I said it, his entire face fell. He looked like someone had just stabbed him.

"What?" he asked in disbelief.

"Why didn't you change me? I was already bleeding and nearly unconscious."

"I…I wasn't thinking about that," he said, obviously flustered. "I was more focused on getting you out of the car alive."

"Are you saying the thought didn't even cross your mind?" I asked, challenging him. For some unexplainable reason, I felt terribly close to a breaking point. Like at any moment now, I was going to lose control of my emotions and start screaming.

"Yes, the thought crossed my mind, but, Bella, I didn't know if you would be okay with me doing that to you," he said, now kneeling at my bedside. I struggled to sit up, gritting past the pain.

"You thought I wouldn't be _okay_ with it?" I repeated, angry. "Edward, that would have been the solution to everything," I hissed. "Everything."

"No, love, it wouldn't be. You need to heal, not physically, but emotionally. It wasn't the right time to do it. "

"Don't talk to me about healing," I snapped. "These bruises will go away and the stitches will come out. This is just like what happened with James. You didn't change me then because you were afraid." He flinched and ran his fingers through his hair.

"You're right, I was afraid then. Now, it's different. I won't because you aren't ready."

"Don't tell what I'm ready for Edward. I left my father and Ian to be here with you. Changing me is the one thing that will make everything better." Now, I had tears in my eyes. He grasped my hand.

"Is that what you think? That changing you now will _fix_ everything? You aren't taking into consideration the fact that you won't be able to come near them without doing something you'll really regret after the thirst has worn off."

Angry tears spilled down my cheeks. My head sank into my hands and I felt him climb onto the bed next to me, pulling me into his comforting embrace. "I'm sorry," I mumbled. " I shouldn't have said those things to you."

"Bella, you should never apologize to me for speaking what's on your mind. Even though you edit what you're truly thinking, it's better than hearing nothing at all," Edward sighed. I rested onto his chest, and gradually relaxed. Occasionally, I hiccupped; my body was still reacting from emotional overkill.

"I don't think you were ready to leave," he said, quietly, placing a small kiss on my temple. I looked up at him.

"No, I wasn't. But I was ready to leave with _you_, and that's exactly what I did. I didn't have enough time to be ready for this, Edward. I knew that as long as I had you with me I'd be just fine. And I am, really," I tried to assure him. His expression proved that he didn't believe in what I was saying. "Having your family with me is a huge plus as well. I know I'll go back someday. All I can do is hope that someday comes soon." He started to protest, but I changed the subject.

"I'm hungry." He started to get up, but I pulled on his arm. "No, stay," I whined.

"Don't you want food?" he asked. "You need to eat."

"Can we ask Alice to bring it?" I asked, then realizing that she may not even be here. "Well…is Alice even here?"

"Of course she is," Edward sighed. "She wouldn't leave you. Everyone is here, but they want to let you rest. Alice just went shopping because we left without grabbing any clothes or personal items for you." My cheeks burned.

"She shouldn't be spending money on me!" I wailed. "Not after everything you all have done for me as it is." Edward's eyes narrowed.

"You are a part of this family," Edward said curtly. "At least, you are a part of it for as long as you wish to be. Don't be concerned about money. You should know by now that it's never been an issue. Just forget I said anything…Alice is shopping for herself." He tried to give me a convincing grin. I scowled and then winced because I moved too suddenly. He kissed my forehead swiftly and sprang off of the bed. "I'll go find you some food…and some Tylenol."

When I was alone, my thoughts crowded in my mind, rebelling about all sanity. A thousand different questions bolted around my head. _What happened to Dan? Why do I even care? Are people looking for me? What about Charlie?_ Before I could get too overwhelmed, Edward was back, carrying a small platter with a plate of ravioli on it and a water bottle.

"This was the most decent meal I found in the kitchen," he explained. "It's only three, so the chefs haven't really started cooking yet."

"You snuck into the kitchen to steal me food?"

He shrugged and set the platter down next to me. "They won't even notice it's gone." I discovered, after taking the first bite, that the ravioli's were stuffed with mushrooms. I smiled and swallowed the bite.

"This is mushroom ravioli," I said. He nodded his head. "I ordered the same thing that night in Port Angeles. Do you remember?" I asked.

"Of course I remember," He replied and sat down on the other side of me. I ate the food quickly, not realizing how famished I really was. I gulped down the water between bites until everything was finished. I ate so quickly that the food sat in an uncomfortable lump in my stomach.

Not long after that, I dozed off. I wasn't sure if it was from the Tylenol or because I was exhausted from sitting in a bed for so long. I woke up to the sound of Alice knocking on the door.

"Bella?"

Edward seemed irritated that she woke up me, but he opened the door after I told her to come in. She was carrying bags upon bags of clothes, and I got the nagging sense that they were all for me. I eyed them wearily.

"You're looking a little better," she commented. I smiled weakly and gave her the thumbs up. "The good thing is that you're going to heal pretty fast. Your stitches can come out in a couple of weeks."

"How many stitches did I get?" I asked, morbidly curious. The bandage on my side was huge, and it felt like a knife was being twisted between my ribcage every time I moved. I didn't even know what happened in the accident—I hadn't asked.

Edward slumped on the bed next to me. "One hundred and seventeen stitches total, but they're dispersed," he mumbled. It took me a moment to digest what he'd just said.

"Well…that'll be a cool a looking scar," I said, trying to lighten things up. Edward turned towards me, looking exacerbated. It was then that I noticed how dark his eyes were. He was hungry. "Edward, why don't you go hunting," I suggested. "You're thirsty."

"I'm perfectly fine," he argued.

"No, you aren't. You won't be missing any fun parties while you're gone. Just go for a couple of hours. Blow off some steam, hunt." He didn't argue after that and kissed my cheek before leaving. Alice dug around through the bags, organizing their contents.

"Alice?" I asked hesitantly. She looked up at me. "What happened in the accident?"

"You don't remember?"

"Not very much. I don't know what happened to me. I remember hitting the tree and Edward pulling me out and driving to your house, but everything else is really blurry." She sighed and dropped the bag she was rummaging around in.

"You hit that tree going over fifty miles per hour, Bella. Your seat literally broke out of place, and when the windshield shattered, your body was being lurched out of the seat and directly into the broken glass. The lacerations were very severe," she explained. "You did end up losing a lot of blood, but not enough to put you in a critical condition. You also broke two ribs." She paused to let it all sink in. The sad thing was that as she explained it, I couldn't help but think that I'd had worse.

"Carlisle was worried that you might have broken your hand, too. It's only sprained, so he didn't bother with casting it. It's a miracle Dan's still alive. A miracle and a shame." I nearly choked.

"_He's still alive?" _

She sighed and put her head in her hands.

"I shouldn't have told you that, but yes, he's still alive."

"Did someone find him at the accident? Is he in jail? I mean, I don't think anyone knows about the domestic violence, but his blood alcohol levels must have been off the charts, right? Whoever found him had to have turned him in for drunk driving…right?" Her face was grim.

"No. He was found by a close friend. A close friend who knows how to keep a secret. They've got a lot of people out looking for you."

"Including Charlie?" I whispered.

"Including Charlie," she confirmed. Bile rose in the throat.

"Oh, God," was all I could shake out. Alice immediately rushed over to try and comfort me.

"Bella," she warned. "Calm down, everything will be okay. You don't need to be afraid or worried."

"What are we going to do now?" I asked, raising my voice. "Just keep running from them? Dan's got connections, Alice. Charlie has connections, too. I'm never going to be able to get divorce papers now, he's probably got every damn police station on the west coast notified of my 'disappearance'." I was going into hysterics by now.

"Shh, shh, Bella. Take a deep breath," Alice comforted, putting her tiny arms around me. "Don't worry about anything. We'll leave the country if we have to, but we are a family and we always stick together. No one is going to hurt you."

"It's not me that I'm worried about," I whimpered. "It all of _you_. I don't want to jeopardize your entire lives. I've done it once, I won't do it again. No. That's not fair." Her tiny face screwed up in mock anger.

"That's crap, Bella. We can't function as a family without you. It simply doesn't work. And you should know that we have connections as well. We have access to documents and other objects that Dan can't touch at all. You're going to win this. And I can get you divorce papers within an hour, if you'd like."

"Yeah, well good luck getting him to sign them," I sighed, sniffing. Alice laughed softly and ran her fingers through my hair.

"Everything's going to be just fine, you'll see."

**AN: Well? Good or bad? What did you think? Any guesses for future events? If any of you are on Pacific time, you'll notice that I'm posting this right around midnight…that would be because I'm waiting for an episode of one of my favorite TV shows to load on my computer so I can watch it. Yes, I'm strange. I know. **

**Hope everyone had a happy Friday!**


	12. Chapter 12

BPOV

With Edward gone, Alice seemed to relax considerably. She noticed how uncomfortable I was in the bed.

"I'll ask Carlisle if you can get up," she said, excusing herself from the room. I wanted to shower and was all of my feelings away. She returned seconds later; Carlisle knocked politely before coming into the room as well.

"May I check your bandages?" he asked.

"Of course," I said, shifting my body to the side. He walked around the bed and gently lifted my shirt. He examined a few different things before decided I was okay to get up and move around. I could even shower, with Alice's help.

I was ecstatic, and I didn't even care about being embarrassed with Alice helping me in the shower. She'd done it before, this was nothing new. She helped me wash my hair and body and handed me a towel when I was finished.

"I'll leave you alone and let you get dressed," Alice said, suddenly acting odd. I eyed her curiously, but didn't object. While I was digging through the bags, I managed to find a pair of sweats. Even though they were designer and way too expensive, they were comfortable. I also found undergarments and white t-shirt. Alice thought of everything. In another bag, I found hair brushes, tooth brushes, makeup and hair products. Everything.

I dressed quickly and grabbed a comb to try and rip through my mess of hair. When I hit my first rat's nest, there was a quiet knock on the door. It startled me and the comb ended up being completely stuck in my hair.

"Um…who is it?" I asked, completely embarrassed.

"Bella, it's Rosalie. Can I come in?"

I was completely flustered. I desperately wanted Rosalie to like me, but did I want her to see me like this? I decided it was okay.

"Sure," I answered. She opened the door and closed it quietly behind her. She took one look at me and a small smile broke across her perfect face.

"Here, let me help you with that," she said, walking over to me to help with my hair. I was grateful for her help and sat down on the bed while she worked through the tangles. I didn't feel anything at all. After a moment of silence, her flawless voice penetrated the air.

"I'm sure you're wondering why I'm here, actually talking to you," she stated. "I know, I've never really been nice to you, and I'm very sorry for that."

"Oh, Rosalie, don't worry about it," I said quickly, trying to save this conversation from going in the wrong direction.

"No, Bella, I do worry about it. And I've been killing myself over some way to make it up to you," she said, running her fingers through the nontangled section of my hair. "I thought maybe you could understand where I've been coming from if I told you my story, how I came to be a Cullen."

"If that's what you want," I said quietly. Edward hadn't ever mentioned Rosalie's beginning to me.

"I came from a rich family," she began. "Naturally, it was expected for me to marry someone whom my parents chose for me, someone who met their standards and was the perfect gentlemen who came from money. I never thought an arranged marriage was a bad thing; it was normal where I came from. After I got married, I tried to be the perfect wife, but nothing I did was good enough. I was his disappointment, yet he showed me off to all of his friends like I was a trophy."

She paused when the comb hit a particularly nasty knot.

"One night, we were coming home from a dinner party. He was drunk, as usual, and I was just trying to get us back safely. He was always so different around his friends; he'd degrade me, treat me like I was his servant. I wasn't expecting his friends to show up on our way back, but when they did, he turned into a kind of monster I didn't even know existed at the time."

This time she paused like was remembered it, living her memories again.

"He ripped my dress and tore the pins out of my hair. He kissed me in front of everyone and threw me to the ground, on full display for everyone to see as he has his way with me. And then he allowed his friends to do whatever they'd like. By the time they were done, I was nearly dead. Hypothermic, bleeding, broken. They left me there, and Carlisle found me not long after that. I'm sure if he'd come any later, I would have frozen to death.

"I'm so sorry…"I whispered, horrified. She finished my hair and handed me the comb.

"There's nothing to be sorry about, Bella. It was a long time ago."

I turned to face her, feeling that there was more she wanted to say.

"When I heard about what was happening to you, the relationship you were in, I felt so _guilty_. I felt like this was partially my fault… Can I ask why you married him in the first place?" she asked. I suddenly felt like I trusted her.

"When I was with Dan, I forgot what it felt like to be loved. I forgot what it felt like when I was with Edward and all of you. Every time he hit me, every time he raped me or degraded me, was less painful than thinking about what happened." Something I said seemed to really upset her.

"He _raped_ you?" she asked, rage laced in her voice. My chest tightened and I felt tears forming in my eyes.

"Over, and over, and over again," I whispered shakily. "There was nothing I could do." She stared at me in silence, her eyes screaming a thousand words. "All of that was less painful than thinking about the past. I was numb." She ran her hand through her golden hair.

"When I got pregnant, I started to feel something. Like maybe I would eventually be okay, because I knew I would love that baby with my whole heart. Then," I said, taking a deep breath. "He got angry one night. So angry that he beat me enough to cause a miscarriage. I told the hospital that I fell down the stairs, and they believed it." I hadn't realized I was crying now. "I wanted that baby so bad," I sobbed. "I wanted to forget about everything and just focus on her future. I wanted everything to be perfect for her, my little girl," and then I couldn't talk anymore. The words wouldn't come out. Rosalie pulled me into her arms and I clung to her, soaking her shirt with my tears.

She comforted me until I calmed down enough to be able to speak again.

"Is that why you're so attached to that little boy, Ian?" she asked.

"Oh, no," I answered quickly. "I love Ian very much, but he's Angela's son and I respect that. I'm his god mother, and I've been there since he was a baby. We just have a bond." She nodded in understanding.

"I want you to know that I accept you as a part of this family, as a human or as a vampire," she said. "There's no excuse for the way I acted toward you in the past, but things will be different now. I promise." I felt liberated, and apparently, so did Alice. She flitted happily in the room when Rosalie got up to leave.

"Sorry," she said, "I knew that talk was coming, so I left." She said, innocently.

EPOV

I thought, for a brief moment, that hunting might clear my mind. I was wrong. Every time I closed my eyes, I heard the gut wrenching sound of Bella's car wrapping around a tree; I heard her paralyzing scream. Alice hadn't seen anything coming. I should have been there.

Waiting in the trees, I watched as a young mountain lion prowled a few miles ahead. I wasn't interested in hunting at all. Sure, I was thirsty, but it didn't matter.

When I finally got to her, seconds too late, the smell of her blood contaminated the air, making it hard to focus. I had to stop for a second to regain my focus. She was contorted between the metal fragments of the mangled car, protected between the safety of her seatbelt and deployed airbags. Her torso, however, was maimed and contorted from the jagged sections of the windshield that lodged their way into her skin. I choked on bile as I desperately thought about how to help her. There was just too much blood, I didn't trust myself to try and do anything. Instead, I summoned Carlisle while I tried to work past the anguish my mind was pelting the rest of my body with.

I heard her whimper, knowing she was in pain, and everything else vanished. The burning in the back of my throat was gone, the pounding in my head disappeared. All I saw was Bella, and I knew I needed to get her out. I was beginning to rework the car's metal around her body when Carlisle assessed Bella' situation. He checked to make sure she wasn't paralyzed, checked for broken bones, tried to gauge whether she would bleed to death any time soon.

He thought she had some broken ribs and a broken hand, but we both knew I needed to get her out soon. She was losing consciousness. I all but rip metal off of the side of the car to get to her. Her seat was tilted awkwardly, broken out of the original factory setting. I breathed a sigh of relief when she was safely in my arms, but my stomach knotted painfully when I realized how much blood she'd already lost. Anger coursed its way through my veins when I saw the serrated chunks of glass lodged inside of her.

Everything happened to so quickly after that. We raced home so Carlisle could perform any necessary procedures. I tried my best to remove as much glass as possible on the way there, but Carlisle removed mass amounts of it before stitching her up. Thankfully, Bella slept for the entire drive to the hotel. She needed the rest.

The mountain lion was getting further and further away, now. Sighing, I pushed off of the tree and sprang forward to find my meal.

BPOV

Alice helped me walk out of the bedroom so I could join the others. Emmett was camped out in the living room, his feet propped up on the sofa while he watched a football game. Carlisle was sitting at a large table, surrounded by books, Esme and Rosalie were what appeared to be the kitchen.

"I thought we were in a hotel," I told Alice.

"We are," she said simply. The girls appeared to be cooking something, so Alice led me over to them and helped me onto a bar stool so I could watch them.

"Hello, dear," Esme said happily. "How are you feeling?"

"Much better," I said. It wasn't a lie. An hour ago, I felt like crap. "Can I help you with anything?"

"Don't be silly," she admonished. "You just relax. I'm not doing anything challenging here. Just because we don't eat doesn't mean I can't cook, you know," she said. I held my hands up in surrender and laughed. Everything felt so natural…except for the fact that Edward was gone. I was sure everyone had heard my conversation with Rosalie. I didn't mind, they were my family.

Alice flitted next to me and began to braid my hair. Her cool fingers were extremely relaxing against my scalp. Suddenly, her hands stopped moving.

"Edward's coming," she said. "He's not happy."

"Why?" I asked, panicked.

"He's hearing about the conversation you and Rose had earlier."

"Why is he mad?"

"He's angry with himself," she said quickly. "Not you." I sighed and felt my shoulders tense up.

"I should have told him," I whispered. "He didn't know."

Then the front door opened and Edward walked into the room, slowly, looking empty. He met my gaze and I knew I had some explaining to do.

**AN: Hi everyone! I know Rosalie told her story a little differently here than she did in Eclipse, but I wanted it to be a little more relatable to Bella's story. I hope their reconciliation didn't seem too cheesy… **

**Lemme know what you thought, show me the love. Let's see how many reviews we can get for this chapter, yeah? The more reviews, the faster the updates. I know you're all reading them, so please, just take the few extra seconds to let me know what you thought. **

**Thanks (:  
**


	13. Chapter 13

BPOV

"Do you want to go for a walk?" I asked, trying to casually break through the tension in the air.

"You can't walk, you'll tear the stitches." His reply was robotic, very monotonous.

"Well..how about to the balcony?" I asked, desperate. He looked so broken, like a marionette. Silently, he walked forward and scooped me into his arms. Everyone else went back to what they were doing, not making a single sound. Edward carried me outside and set me down on a plush deck chair. It was obviously meant for sunbathing…too bad it was completely overcast today and rain all the time.

Edward leaned against the railing and stared across at the view from the hotel. Even his breathing seemed labored.

"Are you mad at me?" I asked, childishly. I didn't know what else to say. He was quiet for a few moments more.

"I could never be angry with you," he muttered.

"Then why are you acting like someone's died? What happened is in the past, and we need to move on."

"Bella?" he asked quietly.

"Yes?"

"Did you ever say no to him? Did you ever try to stop him?" He turned around to face me. It hurt to look at him. I thought carefully, composing my response.

"In the beginning, I tried to," I answered, honestly. Well, I did _try_…just not very hard.

"And after?" He asked. "What did you do then?" I closed my eyes, knowing he would be mortified at the truth.

"Do you want me to tell you honestly?" I asked, hoping he would say no. I knew he wouldn't.

"Of course. I wouldn't want anything else, Bella."

I took a few steadying breaths, feeling the tears coming. "I just let it happen after that." Suddenly, he looked furious. My first instinct was to flinch, but I reminded myself that I wasn't standing here with Dan. I was standing here with Edward.

"Why? How could you just _let_ something like that happen?" His voice cracked and ran ran his fingers through his already wild hair.

"You won't like what I have to say, Edward. Can't you just let it go and move on?"

"No," he shook out. "I can't. I can't bear the thought anything bad happening to you. Don't you understand that? This is my fault, and I don't know how to fix it."

"Edward…" I said slowly. He moved and sat down next to me. "When you left, you took my soul with you. All that was left was just a being of pain. I left more alive when he was abusing me than I did when I was alone with only my memories. I thought I wasn't good enough for you. Do you know what that did to me?"

"I left because I thought—" I cut him off.

"I know why you left, Edward." He suddenly shuddered.

"You promised me you wouldn't do anything reckless," he accused, retaliating.

"I never promised. You just asked me to promise for you. You're the one who told me it would be like you'd never existed. And you lied. I tried to make myself forget, and I couldn't do it. I used Dan to cover the pain, to make me forget for small fragments of time." He shuddered again. "Is this what you want? For me to talk about the past and how _horrible_ it was without you? Thinking about it still hurts Edward, because I feel like at any given moment, you're going to leave again." He sat silently with his eyes closed. I wrapped my arms around him as best I could and rested my read on his shoulder.

"No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't make myself stop loving you. At some point, I realized I didn't want to."

Without warning, he pulled me into his arms and rocked back and forth gently. I breathed in his scent, loving him unconditionally.

"Did you mean what you said to Rosalie?" he finally asked.

"Every word," I said. He wanted the truth. It was better than walking on eggshells.

"I won't be able to give you a child, Bella," he said, staring into my eyes. I was mesmerized for a moment.

"I know that. I don't care. I'll have you, and that's all that matters."

"You know I'll never leave you again. I can't do it again. I hardly lived through it the first time. Another time and I'd run to the Volturi's doorstep, begging for death."

I stiffed and narrowed my eyes into a glare. "You mean those people that Carlisle used to live with?" I asked. He'd mentioned them once in high school.

"The very ones." He paused for a moment to brush my hair out of my face. "Bella, you are my life, my very reason for existence. Nothing could take me away from you."

"We need to go get divorce papers," I said suddenly. "When it's finalized, you're changing me. And then you can't get rid of me. Ever."

Edward smiled lightly and cradled my face. "I wouldn't dream of it."

"We'll start our new life together. I'll truly be a part of the family, and none of this will matter."

"Soon," he promised.

"I honestly don't know how I'll feel the day Dan dies…" I trailed off. "I might laugh…but I might cry. I'll tell you one thing, though," I said.

"What's that?" Edward asked, clearly calmed down.

"I feel of like a cougar."

"_What_?" he exclaimed, appalled. I giggled, victorious over the fact that I'd successfully saved the day.

"Well, you're four years younger than me. You're seventeen and I'm almost twenty two."

Edward rolled his eyes, but pulled me closer to his chest and kissed my forehead. "Uh..Edward," I said, suddenly having the courage to spill absolutely everything that was on my mind.

"Yes, love?"

"Can I ask you one more thing before we go inside?"

"Of course. You shouldn't feel the need to ask me about asking questions." I took a deep breath, knowing he most likely wouldn't like what I was about to request. I knew he wouldn't want me anywhere near Dan after asking this.

"I know you probably would love nothing more than to murder Dan viciously right now. And I not _completely _opposed to the idea of it, really, but I kind of had something different in mind…" I trailed off. He eyed me doubtfully.

"You think there's a better way to deal with him?" He asked. I nodded my head.

"Well, I was wondering if, um, you know, because he has such an important job and has gained so much…merit, I guess if you can call it—" Edward cut me off.

"Bella, you're rambling. Spit it out."

I huffed and tried to compose myself. "I want him to go to jail and rot there for a little while. I want him to be trapped there and surrounded by men who are just as evil on the inside as he is."

Edward was silent next to me, thinking. He had that far away look in his eyes.

"You do know that doing so would involve a trial? And your father would be a part of it."

"I know. He needs to know the truth, Edward. I don't want to lie to him, and disappearing like this isn't right. I thought it was, but I know it's not. And what's to say Dan doesn't pick up another helpless girl and destroy her?" I explained my reasoning calmly, and Edward flinched. Eventually, he sighed.

"Damn it," he practically growled. "Sometimes, I wish Alice wasn't always right." He closed his eyes and shook his head. "If that's what you really want, then we'll do it."

"What do you mean about Alice being right?" I asked, curious.

"She saw this whole trial idea as a possibility and started gathering…evidence," he said carefully.

"What kind of evidence?" I asked, now concerned.

"She took pictures of the marks on your body. The bruises before the accident, the damage after the accident. And Carlisle has the scans he took of you last week, plus your medical file."

"He has my medical file?" I asked.

"It's what brought us back to Forks," Edward mumbled. "He was curious one day and decided to look it up. God only knows why, but seeing how many accidents you'd had over the duration of our absence left us with little choice but to make sure you were okay."

"Oh," I said quietly. "Well, it's a good thing then."

"Bella…" he trailed off. "Are you really sure you want to do this? A hearing would mean having to face Dan and recount a lot of very painful memories."

"Do you think I'd win?" I asked. "Tell me honestly."

"Without a doubt. I _know_ you would win, but that doesn't mean the experience won't be painful and difficult."

"Then it will be worth it to me. I'd like to get a lawyer as soon as possible," I said. "And I'm going to need to call Charlie."

"Don't worry about the lawyer," Edward said. I sighed, agitated.

"You are not paying for this. No." I was firm, asserting myself. "This is my mess, I need to do it myself."

"Relax, love," Edward said gently. "We wouldn't be spending any money." He scooped me up into his arms and carried me back into the room. Esme was still cooking and Alice was tearing through a stack of magazines, obviously trying to keep herself busy. They all turned their attentions toward us.

"I know you heard what we were talking about," I said, breaking the awkward silence. "And I refuse to allow anyone to pay for an attorney. I'll represent myself if I have to." I'm sure it was mighty hard them to take me seriously as I was being cradled in Edward's arms, like a child. Jasper cleared his throat and stood from the couch.

"Actually, Bella, if it's alright with you, I'd like to represent you as your lawyer. It's the least I can do." He seemed nervous, like maybe he'd thought I would reject him. Perhaps this was his way for trying to make up for the paper cut incident all those years ago. I'd forgiven him instantly, but he'd been holding this grudge with himself anyway. Edward set me down gently in a chair and sat on the floor next to me.

"I'd love that, Jasper, thank you," I said with a small smile. He smiled back and nodded his head. "I was just wondering," I said, "when did you go to law school? I didn't know you passed the BAR…"

He cleared his throat and Emmett smirked. "Bella, don't ask questions that you don't want to know the answer to."

I blushed and looked down. "Alright. I'm sure you're better than any lawyer I could get on my own, so I won't ask and you won't tell me." I made a mental note to force Edward to tell me later.

"So, what do we do now?" Rosalie asked. I wasn't used to her being nice to me.

"I need to call my dad…" I said. "Alice, will he be tracing the call?" I asked.

"No," she said. "At least, as far as I can tell, your call won't be traced if you call him at home." I glanced over at the clock on the wall and saw that it was just past 6:30 p.m. He should have been off work by then.

"Can I borrow your phone?" I asked Edward. He pulled it out of his pocket without hesitation and handed it to me. I struggled to get out of the seat so I could walk into the bedroom for some privacy. Edward helped me up and carried me into the other room. He turned to leave, but I stopped him.

"Wait, Edward. Please, will you stay?" I was afraid.

"Yes," he answered automatically, moving to sit across from me on the bed. With a shaking hand, I punched in my father's number and waited for it to right. On the right buzz, he picked up.

"Hello?" His voice sounded different. Tired and worried.

"Dad?" I asked. I heard a stifled moan on the other end.

"Bella? Is that you?" he asked, practically begged into the receiver.

"Yeah, it's me," I mumbled. This was going to be a difficult phone call.

"I've been worried sick about you these past few days, Bell," he said, sounding a little more normal. "I didn't even know if you were _alive_. We thought maybe you'd been—you just went missing," he shook out.

"I know," I said slowly. "I'm sorry."

"You're sorry? Where the hell are you? The entire state of Washington is out looking for you!"

"I'm, um," I said, looking up at Edward. He nodded his head in encouragement. "I'm with the Cullens. I'm with Edward." There was dead silence on the other end. Finally,

"The Cullens! Edward!" he exploded. "You have a husband here, at home, who's driving himself insane looking for you, and you go off with your ex boyfriend? Isabella Marie Swan, what is wrong with you!" I struggled to breathe calmly. Edward reached forward and grabbed my hand.

"Daddy…" I whispered. He continued yelling.

"That boy has never been good for you. He destroyed you, and Dan was there to put you back together. The least you could do is have some respect! And do you have any idea of how worried sick I've been? This isn't the first time you've done this, you know," he said, still ranting.

"Daddy," I choked out. "Please."

He suddenly stopped yelling.

"You haven't called me that since you were seven years old. Bella, what's wrong?"

"…"

"Bella?" he asked.

"He beats me," I finally managed to croak.

"What?" Charlie gasped. "What are you talking about?"

"Dan. I'm talking about Dan." I took a breath to steady myself. The worst part was over. "He. Beats. Me. Up." I heard the phone clank on the ground on the other end. Charlie had dropped the phone. He quickly picked it up and I heard his labored breathing on the other end.

"Bells," he started. "Why…why didn't you tell me?"

"I was afraid," I said. It was a complete lie. "And Edward saved me."

"Saved you?" Charlie asked. I knew he wasn't fond of Edward at all, but I knew he'd be thankful in the end.

"Yes," I said. "I left with him and his family after the accident. I thought it would be the safest thing to do."

"Accident? What accident?" Charlie asked.

"The car accident…" I trailed off. "Don't you know what happened?"

"No," he said slowly. "What car accident?" Wow.

"On the night of the banquet, Dan drove us home drunk and we got in an accident. A pretty bad one. I left that night, Dad. I couldn't stay with him anymore. I refuse to."

"Oh my god...he was driving drunk? How many laws has this asshole _not_ broken?" Charlie moaned into the phone.

"Dad," I said, before he could any more questions.

"Yeah?"

"I want you to arrest him. I have a lawyer and I want to press charges."

"That's my girl," he said, sounding much better. "I'll do the best I can. When are you coming back?"

"As soon as I can," I replied. "I'm still pretty mangled from the accident."

"Oh," he said quietly. "Well, I love you. You know that, don't you?"

"I love you too, dad."

"Please, stay safe and heal," he said before we said goodbye. I slumped into the pillows and handed Edward back his phone.

"We're all going to have to get our stories straight and have believable alibis, you know," I said suddenly. He chuckled.

"Relax, Bella, we know how this works."

We had some serious planning to do.

**AN: Hola! Yes...the story's going all Law and Order: SVU now...MUAHAHAHAH. I love that show...*sigh*. Anyway, how'd you guys like it? Please review and let me know. I was wondering, do you think I should put more EPOV in it or leave it as it is? I've found that sometimes adding his point of view can make things a little mangled, depending on how the author does it, so it's really up to you guys. Anyway, hope everyone's doing well. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!**

**Also, on a completely random note...I've decided I want a puppy. Now, whether I get one or not is kind of iffy, but I want a girl...preferably a Husky of some sort...yeah, I know. Dream big. Anyway, I'm fantasizing about names...any ideas? **


	14. Chapter 14

BPOV

"Bella?"

"I don't see why we'd need to talk about that, Jasper. How is it even relevant?"

"It will most likely come up," Jasper said gently.

"What if they can't find any evidence of it? Then it'll just be my word against his. I doubt Alice took pictures of my female regions to capture any evidence of rape." I hadn't expected it to be so difficult to talk about this. Sometimes I felt like I was in over my head.

"I know it's hard. It's not easy to talk about, but if we're going to win this, we need to know everything, and you need to be prepared for any questions you may be asked at the hearing."

"Well, we've been married for almost two years," I said, shakily. "I guess it happened at least two or three times a week, sometimes more. It was all dependent upon his mood."

Jasper had been taking notes on a legal pad. It wasn't really necessary to him—I knew he'd have no problem remembering every word I said, and I knew this was extraordinarily difficult for him. Not only spending so much time with me, but feeling the emotions I was feeling at the same time. He'd kicked Edward out of the hotel a long time ago. When we first started talking, Edward could hardly control himself. One minute he was pacing, the next he was trying not to break something. In fact, Jasper kicked everyone out except for Alice and Carlisle. The others went out, shopping or hunting. Hopefully not cage fighting—I knew Edward was in the mood to do some damage.

"I hate to ask," he mumbled, toying nervously with the pad of paper. "But were you ever receptive to him?"

I scoffed, almost laughed and shook my head. "God, no. Not even on our honeymoon."

"Ouch," Alice whispered. I shrugged, trying to calm my nerves.

"Alice, do you have the pictures you took?" he asked.

"Of course I do, and Bella, I hope you aren't angry," she said. "When I saw the trial happening, I knew I had to do something."

"No, I'm not angry. Kind of embarrassed, but not angry."

Seconds later, Alice produced a thick envelope, filled with photos of my body. "I made sure they were dated," she said proudly.

"I was thinking it might be a good idea to contact your general practitioner," Jasper piped up. "Carlisle, aren't you familiar with Dr. Snow?" he asked.

"Of course," Carlisle said, taking his own notes as well. "I've worked with him before. I'm sure he noticed that something was going on—he's not the type to meddle, but he does catch on to a lot of things, and quickly."

"He never really asked me too many questions about my accidents—the nurses were more nosey than he was," I explained.

"Can you tell me about how you two met? Was the relationship always like this? Or did things slowly change?"

I sighed and my shoulders went limp as I explained the entire story of how I met Dan, and what life was like with him.

By the end of three days, it felt like we'd gone through everything, ran through every single possible scenario. No one was allowed back into the hotel until Jasper and Alice felt like I was prepared for what lay ahead of me.

I eventually called Charlie to tell him we were coming back. When I asked him if he'd found Dan, he got quiet.

"I'll be honest with you, Bella, after I talked to you the other day…I didn't know what to do with myself. I feel so guilty all the time now, like I could have done something to stop it. And now that I think about it, the signs were right in front of me. Right in front of my face!"

"Dad, stop it," I said, almost angrily. "It wasn't your fault at all. And we're going to fix this now."

"For a while, I couldn't leave the house. I knew I'd go find him, but I didn't know if I could keep myself from killing him. I even put my gun away, Bells. I didn't know what I was going to do. "

"Well…have you found him yet?" I asked. It was the hardest for me to talk about this with Charlie. He blamed himself for everything.

"Of course I have. This morning. He's locked up tight."

I felt almost all of the air in my body rush out in a sigh of relief. "Thank you."

"There's a hearing in one week, on the twenty first" he said. "I didn't know what number to call you on, so I guess it's a good thing you called me now so I can let you about as soon as possible. Have you found a lawyer yet? I can get you some help down at the station," he offered.

"No, I have a lawyer. We've been preparing for the last few days," I said.

"That's great, who is he?" Charlie asked, protective. "I hope you didn't get one of those cheap lawyers with a fake license. Those have been floating around lately."

"His name is Jasper Whitlock," I said, gazing over at him and Alice on the couch. "And he's really good."

"…Why does that name sound familiar?" he asked. "He's one of Edward's brothers, isn't he?"

"Would you be mad if I said he was?" I asked, my heart rate accelerating. I was extraordinarily sensitive lately.

"The Cullen's were always good kids, and I have respect for their parents. I'm not angry, just a little worried," he answered.

"Why worried?"

"I just…I don't want you to get hurt again, that's all. I don't want to see you go through that again."

"I know." That was all I could bring myself to say. Jasper called Edward after I ended my phone call. Everyone needed to come back so we could plan to leave.

Edward was all over me as soon as he walked through the front. "I missed you," he said, cradling my face.

"I missed you too," I replied, smiling. Jasper rolled his eyes.

"It's not my fault you can't control your anger, Edward. Don't get pissed at me because I made you leave." I nodded in agreement with Jasper.

"There's a hearing in one week," Alice announced. "And Dan was arrested." Rosalie and Emmett high-fived eachother. Edward still looked completely stressed out.

"Lighten up, will you?" I asked, practically begged.

"This isn't funny," he said quietly. "I don't want to see you hurt any longer."

Esme was already packing food for me to eat in the car while Alice and Rosalie gathered up my things. Everyone else was packing the car while Edward still checked to make sure my mental faculties were in order. It didn't matter how many times I assured him, he was completely paranoid.

Eventually, Alice stomped her foot. "Edward! We can draw the car ride out if necessary and take a day to get there if that's what you really want, but you'll have plenty of time with her in the car. Let's. Go."

And so, we left.

"I'm not going to primp you up and make you look perfect," Alice mumbled as she helped me fix my hair. The trial was in less than two hours.

"Why not?" I asked. "I really don't want to look like this in front of a judge…and my dad."

Alice sighed and twisted my bangs back. "Yes, Bella, you do. We want the judge and jury to see exactly what you look like. Exactly how much damage he's done."

The dark circles under my eyes still hadn't gone away, even though I'd been sleeping much better. Alice bought a cream colored v-necked sweater for me to wear—I still had bruises along my chest and neckline. Though some were fading, they were still visible, especially against the color of my top. She helped me into a pair of black designer slacks and pulled out a pair of black slacks. I slipped on a pair of flats and then she allowed Edward to take over. He helped me walk to the car and get settled. The drive to the courthouse was almost torturous.

I saw Charlie the day before the hearing. He nearly collapsed in my arms after seeing how different I really was. We ate lunch together, he even asked Edward to eat with us. To my surprise, he was actually civil. I felt horrible for Edward, who actually chewed and swallowed his food. I knew he'd be hacking it up later.

Now, as we pulled into the parking lot, I felt numb. I didn't know if I'd be ready to see Dan or not, but when I felt Edward's cool fingers lace through mine, my stomach unknotted myself and I walked forward with my head held high.

A security guard at the entrance stopped us and we had to go through metal detection scanners and were essentially frisked, just to get into the courtroom. The room was full of people, and my lungs felt like they were constricting. I walked forward with Jasper, while everyone else found seats in the audience. Alice slid along the bench next to Charlie and the others followed. You could cut through the tension in the air with a knife. Then the questions started.

"The jury calls Mrs. Isabella Baker to the stand." I wanted my real last name back. I'd have to change it after the divorce. I eyed the portly, balding man who announced my name as I walked toward the witness stand. My nerves were out of control—I felt like I was burning alive on the inside, but I managed to keep a straight face. Jasper, looking professional as ever in his pressed, black suit, began by asking me the questions we'd rehearsed. How did I meet him? When did he first start to get violent? Could I recount the events up to the accident. I answered them all the way I was supposed to –this was cake. Until Dan's attorney was up to question me.

This woman was the epitome of the devil. No doubt, she was hired by Dan's disgusting, overbearing mother, Esther.

"Mrs. Baker," the attorney started. "Are you aware of what adultery is?" I looked over at Jasper, nervously.

"I'm sorry?" I asked.

"Just answer the question," she replied, bluntly.

"Yes, I am fully aware of what adultery is," I answered, trying to keep my temper under control.

"Why don't you tell us about your high school sweetheart," she said, raising an eyebrow. I saw Dan smirk out of the corner of my eye.

"My high school sweetheart?" I asked, my hands shaking slightly.

"Objection, your honor," Jasper butted in.

"Sustained," the judge agreed. "Ms. Hallsworth," the judge said, addressing the attorney, "where are you going with this?"

"Your honor, there's reason to believe that after the alleged car accident, Mrs. Baker ran off with her ex-boyfriend, a Mr. Edward Cullen."

"Who she left with after a car wreck is irrelevant. Ask your questions and sit down, Hallsworth," the judge said, irritated. I breathed a sigh of relief.

"What happened between you and Mr. Cullen," Hallsworth asked. I cleared my throat.

"His family was moving, so we broke things off."

"Now, tell us, did you ever really break things off with him?" she asked, narrowing her eyes.

"I never heard from him again," I replied, smoothly.

"Until recently, is that correct?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Did you ever really get over him?" she asked, walking closer to the stand. "The two of you were inseparable, were you not? It would be pretty hard to just drop someone off like that. After all, first loves never die," she trailed off.

"I married Dan, didn't I?" I replied shortly.

"I have no further questions at the moment."

After that, I was called down from the stand to be replaced by Dan. He looked so small. Jasper started off the questions by asking about Dan's childhood. Dan was probably lying through his teeth, swearing that he had a perfect childhood. Both of his parents were very loving and caring. He had everything he wanted.

"Did you ever attack Isabella Baker?" Jasper asked, casually, like a candid conversation. Dan acted appalled.

"God, no. I loved her." Lies.

"You never got a little too angry and hit her? Never got a little too rough?" Dan's faced hardened.

"No."

"And, you never raped her, right?"

"No." Dan's voice shook.

"Well, it must have been hard, trying to have a relationship with this woman who was unresponsive to you."

"I didn't…rape her," Dan practically hissed. "I never _touched_ her against her will."

"So, she asked you to beat her? Is that it?" Jasper asked, keeping a perfectly calm demeanor. I knew in the back of my mind that pretty soon, he'd be manipulating Dan's emotions. Any moment now.

"I never beat her," Dan whined. A few questions later, Dan was called down and replaced by Dr. Snow. He was such a humble little old man.

"Dr. Snow," Jasper began. "You've been treating Mrs. Baker for years now, is that correct?"

"Yes," he replied. "Since she was seventeen years old."

"What can you tell us about her medical history? Anything…unusual?"

"Well, as a teenager, she was certainly very clumsy. Always having silly accidents."

"What about when she was an adult?" Dr. Snow paused, thinking.

"I never wanted to jump to any conclusion—it wasn't any of my business—but she was in the emergency room much more frequently than before. And her accidents never quite added up. And the bruises. She never explained the bruises, even when I asked her about them. It was always about how she bumped into the wall, or fell down the stairs, slipped in the driveway."

"Can you tell us how many visits she's had in the last year?" Jasper asked, politely.

"Twenty three." The room got quiet. Not long after that, Jasper presented the photographs of my body as evidence. When I saw Charlie's facial expression, my heart clenched. "Bruising patterns like these are not consistent with the reports she gave the nurses," Dr. Snow explained.

"I've seen many domestic violence cases," he stated. "This is quite severe."

"Thank you, Doctor," he said, dismissing him. Then the judge called a recess. Edward kept his distance from me, and for good reasons. Dan's lawyer had accused me of adultery. How this was relevant to Dan being abusive, I had no idea, but we still didn't want to give her any reason to push the issue. Jasper took a walk with me outside in the hallway. I leaned against the wall and sank down to the ground, running my fingers through my hair.

"How are you holding up?" he asked .

"I'm alright, just tired. This is exhausting. Hallworth is a piece of work."

Jasper laughed quietly and extended a hand to help me up. "We have to be back inside in a few moments," he said, straightening his tie. I brushed off my blouse and we walked back inside.

After Hallsworth had a few rounds of questioning, practically throwing fireballs at anyone speaking in my favor, Jasper had another go at Dan. This was it.

"Dan, when did you fall in love with Bella?" he asked, again striking up a casual conversation. He was good at this.

"What do you mean?"

"When did you know you wanted to marry her?"

"Oh…well, we'd been dating for almost a year and I asked her to marry me," he said simply.

"Where'd you go for your honeymoon?" Jasper asked, putting his hands in his pockets and pacing. Dan rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

"Hawaii."

"Oh, I bet that was special, wasn't it?" he asked. I eyed the judge, thinking she might think Jasper was going in the wrong direction.

"Uh…" Dan trailed off, looking confused.

"Why don't you tell us about it," Jasper coaxed. I knew he was playing his tricks now. And right on cue, Dan snapped.

"We didn't do anything."

"Why not?" Jasper asked, feigning curiosity. The veins in Dan's neck protruded slightly. Anger.

"She wasn't in the mood. She _never_ wants to."

"Well, she has the right to not want to sleep with you, does she not?"

"She's my wife," Dan growled. "She does what I want her to do. She. Belongs. To. Me."

I fought back a smile. I knew we'd won by now.

"So when she didn't do what you wanted her to do, what happened, Dan?" Jasper asked, his voice rising just slightly.

"She'd get punished," Dan hissed, glaring at me. "The bitch needed to be put in her place." That was the final straw. The judge pounded her gavel, trying to calm the audience, which was in an uproar.

"Daniel Baker, how do you plead?" she asked, angry.

"Not. Guilty." He said through his teeth.

"Jury, have you reached a decision?" she asked, rolling her eyes.

"We have, your honor," a tall, lanky gentleman announced, holding a small piece of paper in his hands. He stood and cleared his throat. "We, the grand jury for this trial, find the defendant, Daniel Baker, under the charge of domestic violence guilty. Under the charge of rape, guilty. Under the charge of driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol, we find the defendant also guilty."

I breathed a sigh of relief and grabbed Jasper's hand. He stiffened slightly, but smiled at me.

"Mr. Baker, you are hereby sentenced to fifteen years in prison with no chance of bail. Guards, get him out of my courtroom."

I felt a small spasm of fear wave through my body as I watched Dan struggle against the security guards. He was practically spitting at me, screaming that he hated me, calling me names. All I had to do was look over in the audience and stare at Edward. He gave me a small smile, and I turned just in time to see the guards drag him out of the building.

I never through I would see the day where vengeance felt so good, but I suddenly felt elated, like a 50lb. weight was being lifted from my chest. Like I could breathe again.

Like I was finally safe.

**AN: Okay, before I get any harsh criticism, I apologize if I completely butchered the whole trial scene. I'm not very good with the stereotypical phrases and statements, so I just went off the top of my head. This is also sad and ironic, because I work at a law firm. With lawyers. Who use these terms a lot. Show's how well I pay attention, huh?**

**Anyway, I'm sure the chapter has lots and lots of typos in it, which I also apologize for. **

**Let me know your thoughts or comments, what you liked and what you hated. Thanks (:**


End file.
